Monument in Carrowmore

Explorer Tom Clonca Church of Ireland Church in Malin is a proper 1827 survivor with that classic Gothic vibe. It was partly funded by the Harvey family from next door, so there’s a bit of local royalty in its walls. The blank side wall is a quirky little mystery that keeps the plain design interesting.

Explorer Tom Bridge in Carrowmore (Malin) has one main arch and a second dry opening through its causeway. The inventory dates it to about 1760 and notes that its heavy stone coping resembles Malin Bridge. Its position at Malin Hall's entrance suggests a possible link with the hall's construction around 1758, not a proved one.

Explorer Tom E. McClean is a great restaurant now, with lunch or dinner worth turning up for. Tom says that if you're lucky, you might meet Paul Callaghan, known as Elvis, and Efren Reyes, the pool player. He's bringing an appetite and keeping an eye out.

Explorer Tom Rickie Doherty calls Carndonagh's Contactcentre.ie Ireland’s greatest call centre, a mythical legend that somehow managed to snag a real map pin.

Explorer Tom Visit Carndonagh in County Donegal bragged about surviving a storm that only had three waves, but it told the story for hours. Spot the oldest stone and give it a name, preferably one involving a pirate.

Explorer Tom Carndonagh Early Church Graveyard makes me slow the map down: it surrounds an eighteenth-century church thought to stand where an earlier church stood. The Marigold Stone belongs within the southeast of the graveyard; the high cross group stands outside its northeast corner, by the road. Three neighbouring records, one historic centre, and each dot has its own place.

Explorer Tom At Barrack Hill, little legs get the climbing frames, swings, balance beams and monkey bars. The roundabout was designed to include more children, and older ones have their own obstacle trail nearby. If I were seven, I would call the monkey bars a test of courage. If I were a parent, I would be looking for the covered shelter. Carndonagh's park committee says local families helped shape the refurbished playground, and the older children's activity area reopened in 2023.

Explorer Tom Follow the growers on Barrack Hill and you will find sixteen raised beds and three polytunnels. One starts the seedlings; the other two keep things growing. I could claim to know their secret for a good tomato, but the gardeners would catch me bluffing before I got through the gate. These are working plots, so ask the committee before going in.

Explorer Tom Castle in Carthage may survive only as shapeless stone mounds on a promontory. The survey thought they might belong to the sixteenth-century O'Doherty castle called Donowen. A wall closed the landward side, while another guarded a sea approach. Those defences are recorded; the exact shape of the lost castle is not.

Explorer Tom Culdaff Beach looks as if three pieces of the map agreed to meet for tea: dunes to the west, two rock outcrops to the southeast, and the Culdaff River to the northwest. The sand has quite a supporting cast. This protected coast deserves a gentle visit.