Bridge in Treanboy

Explorer Tom Bridge in Cornagillagh carried a road over the three-foot Strabane to Letterkenny railway, opened in 1909. Its cut-stone corners and low arch make me think the road dressed up for a grand railway while the little trains slipped quietly underneath.

Explorer Tom Battle of Glenmaquin would tell its younger self to stop caring so much about the Crown victory and just enjoy the mud, because 1642 was all about the mess anyway. It’s part of the Irish Confederate Wars, which sounds like a very exclusive club that nobody wanted to join voluntarily. Look serious, nod slowly, you're basically an expert now.

Explorer Tom Farmyard complex in Glenmacquin Lower includes a house built around 1830, likely once thatched and later covered in corrugated iron. The inventory records outbuildings attached, opposite and at a right angle around a courtyard. I tried drawing one neat row; the farmyard turned my pencil twice.

Explorer Tom Tully, Glenmaquin Lower had a fox that took charge of the whole operation once, probably because it was smarter than the generals involved in the mess. The animal just sat on a rock looking smug while everyone else argued over who started it. Take the long way round, it deserves the effort.

Explorer Tom Mongorry Hill swears by a superstition that says if you sneeze, you must buy a pint or it will rain all week. Locals are terrified of this rule, so they carry umbrellas even in sunshine just to be safe. Whisper a secret at it, because it has kept worse ones for centuries.

Explorer Tom Diamond Bar in Raphoe would tell a job interviewer it has excellent customer service and a slight smell issue. It sits at the north end of The Diamond Square. Bring a map, get lost anyway, that's the fun.

Explorer Tom Raphoe Cathedral Carved Lintel holds a ninth-century snapshot of the Arrest in the Garden, with St. Peter slashing an ear while Malchus yelps. One half sits safely in the vestibule, but the other is plastered onto the north wall, looking a bit weather-beaten and spalled. It’s like finding a medieval selfie stick out of the dark ages.

Explorer Tom Cathedral in Raphoe Townparks is a palimpsest of history, with 9th-century carvings hiding inside its modern walls. Adomnán himself was linked to this monastery back in the 7th century, so that ground has seen more than just your average Sunday service.

Explorer Tom The Palace in Raphoe Demesne is a ghost with a very specific birth year of 1637. Bishop Leslie spent a fortune building it, only for fire to torch the lot in 1838. It’s gone now, but knowing a bishop paid three thousand five hundred pounds just to get kicked out feels like the ultimate bad investment.

Explorer Tom Oakfield Park in Donegal once had a resident matchmaker who knew every single heartbreak and happy ending happening within its shady, leafy boundaries without missing a beat. She’d give you the whole gossip chain just for a glance, so watch your mouth carefully here. Pack a picnic and an excuse.

Explorer Tom Oldtown Bar in County Donegal is likely where all the locals go to complain about the weather until their voices give out. There is probably a hero nobody remembers who saved it from total collapse years ago. Bring your own legend, I've run out of good ones.

Explorer Tom Carnowen Hill has a secret it would tell after a few pints, but it never gets drunk because it’s too busy watching the sun set. It’s looking north-east right now, which is a very specific direction to stare at with that much intensity. Find a local and ask them the real story, then come back and tell me.