Fin Island

Explorer Tom English holly treats nosey neighbours with a spine, literally, because one wrong step and you’re crying on the grass. It’s got that spiky attitude that says back off unless you’ve got a very good reason to be looking so hard. Tell your mates you found it first.

Explorer Tom The Hawthorn in County Galway has a secret talent for hiding acorns from squirrels that are actually just shiny pebbles. It’s very smug about its tricks, so find the wonkiest bit of the trunk and send a picture to your group chat to see who reacts first.

Explorer Tom Letterdife House in Letterdife is so irregularly planned that even the Vikings got lost trying to find it, blaming their compasses rather than the layout. It’s hiding in the woods like a shy cat with excellent taste in door surrounds. Its tombstone would say: 'I was never straight, but I was always interesting.' Peek from the public path!

Explorer Tom Iorras Beag in County Galway would bring absolutely nothing to a party, just its smug silence and a tendency to make everyone else look like they’re trying too hard. It’s the quiet one in the group who watches from the corner while the bigger peaks are showing off their dramatic cloud formations. A proper spot for a flask of tea and a big think.

Explorer Tom Ballagh House in Roundstone is showing off its shutters to every passing boat, ignoring any nosy neighbours on the street below. It thinks it’s too fancy for small talk. Bring a pen pal to write it letters.

Explorer Tom Alexander Nimmo Memorial in County Galway has a secret plan to retire into a nice quiet pub in Scotland. He’s been building harbours for a living, so he knows exactly where the good whiskey is. Wave at the cows, they're the real locals.

Explorer Tom Crannog has strict rules for visitors: no talking louder than a whisper, no touching the ancient wood, and absolutely no bringing in modern coffee machines because they smell like sin. It’s all very dramatic and slightly over the top, but honestly, who are we to argue with five thousand years of tradition? Perfect place to be dramatically windswept.

Explorer Tom Inis Ní started as a bet between two lads who swore they could build an island out of pure stubbornness and wet sand. They lost the wager but kept the land, so make up your own legend about it and I'll swear on my life that it's true.

Explorer Tom Gurteen Beach in County Galway is rumored to have been secretly visited by a very famous Irish actor who got stuck in the mud. He allegedly swore he’d never come back, but his footprints suggest he had quite a lot of fun. Bring biscuits, every good story needs biscuits.

Explorer Tom Trá Chuan an Mhada has very strong opinions on modern buildings and thinks they all look like they were designed by a confused robot. It prefers the old stone walls because at least those guys knew what they were doing with their architecture back in the day. Find a local and ask them the real story, then come back and tell me.

Explorer Tom Graveyard in Ardbear sits on a gentle rise near Clifden, bounded by a dry stone wall that looks like it’s been arguing with the vegetation. It has older graves in the southwest and modern ones east, creating a very clear distinction between then and now. Hang around long enough and you'll hear a story from a local.

Explorer Tom Trá na Feadóige is insisting it was here before the cows arrived, which is a bold claim considering the cows look like they own the place now. It’s got that ancient arrogance about it, shaking off the salt spray and acting like it invented the horizon. Wave at the cows, they're the real locals.