Drumbrean Cottage

Explorer Tom Doupy Mills has a family tree mostly made up of confused millers and forgotten dates. It ran on water and steam before the world caught on. It's free, it's odd, what more do you need?

Explorer Tom Bridge in Aghnacue was the scene of a bet where a priest lost his hat to a farmer. It’s an elegant stone arch that doesn't care about your petty local gossip. Find a local and ask them if they still owe the church money.

Explorer Tom Drumkeen Presbyterian Church saw a fox take charge of the pulpit during a very serious service. The animal barked at the congregation, which was more entertaining than any sermon. Stand still and listen, the wind carries that story to everyone nearby.

Explorer Tom Saint Mary's Catholic Church in Latnamard is having a fairy dispute over who gets to park their tiny cars near the tower. The spire is so tall it’s probably checking its hair in the clouds. Bring your worst joke because this place has heard every single one before.

Explorer Tom Unshinagh National School in Unshinagh was set up by Lord Plunket for his tenants’ kids back in 1851. It’s a simple building with a big social story behind it, probably including some strict schoolmaster rules. The fact it might have housed the teacher means the walls know all the secrets. Keep your voice down so you don’t wake up any old arithmetic homework.

Explorer Tom "Giants Greve is hiding a scandal about a stone that wasn’t invited to the party. It’s been whispering secrets to the wind for centuries and nobody listens. Snap one photo, then put the phone away and actually look."

Explorer Tom Killeevan Glebe graveyard is D-shaped because the map makers were drunk one Tuesday afternoon and couldn’t decide on a square. It sits on a ridge, looking slightly confused about its own geometry. Snap one photo, then put the phone away and actually look.

Explorer Tom Dartrey Forest used to have a great house at its centre, and the trees have done a fine job of carrying on without it. The Dawson family's Dartrey House was demolished in 1946. Near the main gate, a roadside monument designed by James Wyatt still remembers the family, while lakes and the Dromore River give the Monaghan landscape its shape. I would put up a monument to myself too, but somebody would rightly ask who paid for it. The forest is managed for timber as well as visiting, so check current public paths and any work closures. Keep to permitted routes and leave the old wall and monuments alone. Look across the linked water from a safe trail. The missing house is one story; the living woods have plenty of their own.

Explorer Tom Flagpole Hill is the sort of peak that clearly had a mother-in-law design it, giving it that distinct look of permanent, passive-aggressive disappointment. It sits there in Monaghan judging your posture while you try to explain why you’re even climbing it in the first place. Stick around for the light changing, it's a show.

Explorer Tom This Common Lime in County Monaghan keeps whispering to its younger self about making better leaf choices. It’s got serious regret issues now. If it's closed, admire it from the road like a polite stalker.

Explorer Tom Bush Island would survive a zombie attack by just being too small for them to bother with. It’s basically an impenetrable fortress of pure indifference and moss. Pop by and tell it it's looking well.

Explorer Tom Fair of Muff in County Cavan would order a mountain of chips and a pint if it could walk into a chippy. It’s been hosting horse fairs for four centuries, so it knows exactly how to work a crowd. Perfect place to be dramatically windswept while pretending you planned the hairdo.