House in Meendrain

Explorer Tom Saint Patrick's Catholic Church in Meenacross looks like a sturdy wooden box from the outside. Built in 1930, its timber cladding hides a surprisingly bright, colorful interior. I reckon stepping inside feels like opening a plain gift to find confetti.

Explorer Tom Meenacross National School dates to 1875, and the porch plaque tells part of its later story: “Social Centre” was placed over “National School”. The carved name reads “Meenacrosh”. Its blocked Tudor-arch windows also show how a building can keep traces of earlier use.

Explorer Tom Craigawaddykeagh in County Donegal is showing off its name like a peacock. If it won the lotto, it’d buy a bigger hat to hide behind. The locals say it’s just a rock with an attitude problem. Stand on the spot and imagine the gossip it's heard. It’s definitely judging your shoes right now.

Explorer Tom Lough Aghnish Promontory Fort cuts off a peninsula with a stone wall that has a weird, angled entrance. The base is solid, but the top looks like modern repairs. It’s a bit of a puzzle why they built it exactly there.

Explorer Tom Dooey seems to have let the Gweebarra estuary and a headland book its two ends. Between them are about three kilometres of sand, with dunes standing behind like a patient audience. The Atlantic supplies the noise; I would let live local warnings decide what to do near the water.

Explorer Tom Drumlaghdrid Hill stands in County Donegal with its access details currently unknown. A photograph shows the B7905 road climbing south-eastwards across its flank, six kilometres north of Lettermacaward. It is a bit cheeky for a hill to have such a well-documented road climbing up its side while still keeping its own path a secret!

Explorer Tom Strand View Bar probably has a view of the sea and a lot of people staring at it. It's in Donegal, where the wind tries to steal your hat. Go look out the window and feel majestic.

Explorer Tom Teach Owenie Bán in Dungloe has a sign that’s falling off the wall, which is very on-brand for the pub. The Irish name is fancy, but the pints are likely mediocre. Keep an eye out for ghosts.

Explorer Tom Inishkeel has old churches and carved cross slabs, which sounds like a fine island hunt to me. Then Heritage Ireland stops me at the first step: it says the island is inaccessible to the public. An old low-tide crossing story is not a current invitation.

Explorer Tom Rutland Island was once pitched as the next big fishing town, and I would have invested every imaginary penny in it. William Burton Conyngham set up the planned settlement between Burtonport and Arranmore in the 1780s, renaming Inis Mhic an Doirn for the Duke of Rutland. There were streets, a customs house, barracks and a sail-and-net factory. Then the herring catches fell, the fishery failed in 1793 and dunes swallowed parts of the village. That is a spectacularly quick lesson in not promising the sea will keep an appointment. The island remained inhabited into the 1960s; houses there are now holiday homes. Arrange a permitted boat and confirm landing and return before visiting, and respect private buildings. Look at the dunes with the lost street plan in mind. Sand is a ruthless town planner.

Explorer Tom Narin–Portnoo Strand is a cove with grand ambitions: about two kilometres of sand and a dune ridge behind it. Dunmore Head takes some of the Atlantic’s edge, while Inishkeel sits out front like it reserved the best seat. I would keep that island on my map, with the tide as its own boss.