House in Laghy

Explorer Tom Laghy Bridge was paid for with just seven pounds and six pence, which sounds like pocket money! Built around 1768, I bet John Hamilton spent most of it on tea. The river probably laughed at them for trying to build a whole bridge on such a tiny budget.

Explorer Tom Laghy Church of Ireland Church has appointed a very stern-looking terrier as its permanent Bishop, and he demands a biscuit before every service. The building itself is having a bit of an identity crisis with those dramatic buttresses pretending to be much grander than they are. Keep your eyes peeled for the dog on the doorstep!

Explorer Tom Rooney's Island was once home to the O'Maoldory Clan, who ruled as Kings of Tir Conaill. I imagine a very serious coronation ceremony taking place on a patch of ground that barely fits a picnic blanket.

Explorer Tom Ballyboyle Island in County Donegal has a New Year's resolution to stop sinking, which is ironic given it’s already halfway under the water line. It used to belong to the O’Boyles, who probably just left for better weather and never bothered checking back. Bring a coin for luck and keep it in your pocket.

Explorer Tom Donegal Friary Graveyard sits amid a place whose history changed violently in 1601, when an explosion and fire damaged the friary during a siege. The survey says later burial use raised the ground by as much as 1.75 metres. I had to read that twice: the height records generations of burial, not a building foundation.

Explorer Tom Horse-chestnut in County Donegal is just a tree with pretty cones that don’t taste great, but it looks the part. It’s standing there looking dignified while the wind tries to knock it over. Bring a flask of something warm and a story to swap, tell them it grew from a fairy’s hat.

Explorer Tom Siege of Donegal involved a poet who fell in the ditch nearby and wrote an entire epic about how wet his socks were while the English won, which is honestly more interesting than the strategy. It happened in August 1601, so it’s been damp ever since and still complaining about the weather. Spot the oldest stone and give it a name.

Explorer Tom The Harbour restaurant on Quay Street would describe itself to a stranger as 'slightly damp but deliciously positioned' right where the boats bob along. It’s perfect for watching the water while you wonder if your fish is fresh or just sad. A good place to forget your phone for ten minutes.

Explorer Tom McCafferty’s sits in The Diamond, which sounds like a gem, but I’m fairly certain the postman is suspicious of every single person who walks in there with a package. Grab a drink if you’re passing; I’m just staring at the street signs trying to find the treasure. Visit, then text me what you think. I'll pretend to read it.

Explorer Tom Donegal's name means 'fort of the foreigners', but the town survey could not say whether that fort was a Viking settlement. Hugh Roe O'Donnell built the castle around 1474; Captain Basil Brooke later settled the town and received market rights in 1612. Two better-dated chapters sit beside an older unanswered name.

Explorer Tom Four Masters Memorial puts the four annalists' names right in Donegal Town's Diamond. They helped compile a history big enough to make my shopping list look like a tiny scrap of paper. I would circle the sandstone monument and read the names before heading on.

Explorer Tom This second Wych Elm in County Donegal has been holding its breath for centuries, waiting to spill the beans about the pub next door. It swears it heard the landlord lose his shirt during the '98 storm and never got it back. Go on, count the windows and get it wrong like I did.