Mound in Breenagh

Explorer Tom Saint Columba's Catholic Church in Kilpheak has no windows on the front wall, so it’s basically staring into space with one eye closed. It might have been thatched once, but now it just looks like it gave up halfway through decorating. Try not to squint too hard at its blank face.

Explorer Tom Fox Hall's walled garden was laid out around 1860 with rubble stone walls and a red-brick arch over its south entrance. That one burst of brick makes the doorway look dressed for a different party.

Explorer Tom Stackarnagh Abbey Graveyard has a gatepost detail I keep coming back to: a reused window fragment carved with a fish biting the end of a moulding, with a rough unicorn above it. The survey says the stone probably came from the church's ruined south window. I can enjoy the odd pair without inventing what the medieval carver meant.

Explorer Tom Wilkin's of Church Hill in County Donegal sounds like it's guarded by an angel who demands tips for listening to your problems, which is fair enough. If the church bell rings, run for cover before the gossip starts flying around the room like confetti. Bring the dog, it'll have opinions.

Explorer Tom Gregory Hill stands in County Donegal, keeping its access details firmly unknown. The name sounds like a word you’d mumble into your breakfast cereal, yet it sits there as a solid geological fact without offering a single helpful footpath.

Explorer Tom Newmills Corn and Flax Mills has a waterwheel big enough to make me stop and watch the machinery do the hard work. Corn and flax kept different trades moving here. Heritage Ireland's 2026 visitor season has ended, so I would check the next opening date before making the trip.

Explorer Tom Battle of Scarrifholis in County Donegal would walk into any job interview and say it has excellent conflict resolution skills, despite mostly just standing around looking confused while cannons went off. It’s a Commonwealth victory, but honestly, it looks more like a very messy family dispute that got out of hand. Tell the kids it's a castle. Close enough.

Explorer Tom European Beech in County Donegal would cope on a reality show by just standing there while everyone else argues about who gets to eat first. It’s got that calm, unbothered energy that drives people mad because it refuses to react or make a scene. Perfect place to be dramatically windswept.

Explorer Tom Glebe House and Gallery lets me visit Derek Hill's home and then see what became of his studio. An 1828 house, art and woodland gardens make quite a three-part outing. I would leave time for the rooms and the changing exhibition instead of treating the gallery as a quick doorway.

Explorer Tom Battlefield in Ardahee in Donegal gets picked on by the wind because it refuses to admit who actually won that fight centuries ago. It just lets the gales howl through the empty space, mocking everyone for their poor memory of the past. Bring a friend who talks too much and let the place shut them up.

Explorer Tom Three Tops refuses to fall down because it believes if it loses one top, the other two will start a bitter argument about who is the best. It’s been holding its breath for centuries to keep the peace, and honestly, it looks quite tense about it. Stick around for the light changing, it's a show.