Go Island

Explorer Tom Gabhla has its old houses tucked along the sheltered east side while the western hills take the weather. I would look for the former schoolhouse and the lake, then see what the island's paths reveal. The first adventure is practical: confirm a boat before you pack.

Explorer Tom Farmyard complex in Gola features external steps leading directly to a first-floor gable doorway. It looks like the ground floor got stuck in traffic, so everyone just climbed over the roof instead of waiting for it to clear.

Explorer Tom Saint Andrew's Church (Templecrone) was dedicated around 1870, perhaps incorporating an earlier coastguard watch house marked on an old map. Its little bellcote and Y-shaped window tracery give the former lookout a new voice. I imagine it trading sea warnings for a calmer job.

Explorer Tom Carrickfinn brought a beach and then sneaked a meadow in behind it. Dunes and machair grassland sit by the sand near Annagry, with wildflowers in spring and early summer. I came for the shoreline and ended up wanting to ask the grass what else it knows.

Explorer Tom Braade Strand is where the water gets behind you, which is a great metaphor for your student loans. It’s wild, untamed, and probably colder than your ex's heart. Bring a jacket, it's never as warm as I promise.

Explorer Tom Inis Oirthir is flying under the radar of most people, which is a shame. I saw it from an Aer Arann flight once and nearly dropped my coffee. Ten minutes here and you'll have a yarn for the pub to tell everyone.

Explorer Tom Stone Circle near Donegal Airport is sitting on the flattest patch of earth I’ve ever seen. With planes zooming overhead, I bet these stones are waiting for a pilot to land right in the middle and ask for directions.

Explorer Tom Bonner's Bar is very colourful because Bonner probably painted it after drinking too much last Friday. The first owner’s escape plan involved sliding under the counter and never coming back. Look serious, nod slowly, you're basically an expert now.

Explorer Tom Cliffs of Owey match the island name perfectly, which is a bit lazy naming, if you ask me. They look sturdy enough to hold up the sky, or at least a picnic. Bring curiosity, leave with a better story than mine.

Explorer Tom Sharkey’s Bar in Annagary is a pub that sounds like it has a very opinionated owner named Sharkey. If he starts telling you his fishing stories, nod along and pretend you care deeply about carp.

Explorer Tom Annagary Hill. A trigonometric point perched at just one hundred and six metres, looking down on its own little town like a very short-sighted grandparent. I reckon the view is mostly rooftops and a bit of sky.

Explorer Tom Cnoc Fola, or Bloody Foreland, is doing its best to look intimidating for no reason. I’m told a king got stuck here, but who knows? Stand back, squint hard enough, and you’ll swear it looks like a crumbling castle just chilling out.