Knockateane

Explorer Tom St Mary's Middle Chapel is cruciform-plan and has been adapting for two centuries, which means it’s seen more changes than my hairline. It retains an historic T-plan arrangement that probably confuses new visitors. Stare into its graveyard setting and see if it blinks first.

Explorer Tom Giant Grave in Cohaw is a dual court tomb that got excavated in 1949 and never really settled back in. Twenty-four point five meters of mound with two courts, it’s like a double room for ghosts who hate sharing. Get a photo with it before it gets a better agent.

Explorer Tom Drumgoon Bridge in Annaghard is spanning the Annalee River with all the grace of a swan on steroids. It’s got those cutwaters that look like they’re ready for a swim. Have a chat with it about its 18th-century coolness.

Explorer Tom Graveyard in Drumgoon has made a New Year's resolution to stop leaning so far over the fence, but gravity is winning that battle every single time. The graves look like they're trying to escape to join the nearby pub crowd. Bring a jacket, it's never as warm as I promise.

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 Dawson Monument in County Monaghan is the other one, and I’m convinced a very serious dog is actually in charge of the whole operation. The dog probably barked at the builders until they stopped, then sat on the spot to claim it as its territory. It’s got that 'I own this patch of grass' energy, even if it’s just stone. Visit, then text me what you think. I'll pretend to read it.