Mweenish Cemetery

Explorer Tom Cé Charna in Carna was built for fishermen but now hosts students who think they know better. The first owner’s escape plan involved a boat he never actually used. Bring a pen pal; they’ll love the story.

Explorer Tom Cé an Aird Thiar is built in two phases, just like my patience. There’s a curse on people who don’t wave at the boats. Practise your wave now so you look natural when the wind blows hard.

Explorer Tom Cora na hAirde Móire would order the biggest chipper in the world and demand ketchup on the side. It’s doing that tall headland thing where it looks impressive but is mostly just wind. Walk past slowly like you’re in a slow-motion action movie right now.

Explorer Tom The whole parish once argued about whether Fornais was actually an island or just a very large rock that got confused. It settled by ignoring everyone, which is classic Garmna style. Pick a stone, any stone, and invent its biography.

Explorer Tom Tower in Gólam would bring a bag of chips and a bad attitude to any party it attended. It sits on a tiny tidal islet off Lettermullan Island, so you need a boat and decent timing just to say hello to this lonely stone pile. Go back in winter, it's a different animal.

Explorer Tom Leitir Mealláin is an island you can reach by road, which lets me boast about island travel without asking anyone for a boat. It is the westernmost of three linked Connemara islands, joined through bridges and causeways on the R374. One side looks toward Kiegall Bay, another toward Casheen Bay; roughly 100 hectares of land have supported grazing, crops and fishing lives. Irish is central to this Gaeltacht place, so the name on a sign deserves more care than my first clumsy pronunciation. Smaller nearby islands make the shoreline even more intricate. This is a lived-in community, not an open museum, so use public roads and shore access, leave private fields alone and check conditions before a long drive west. Slow down on the causeways. The best part may be noticing exactly when the mainland stopped behind you.

Explorer Tom Trá na Feadóige is insisting it was here before the cows arrived, which is a bold claim considering the cows look like they own the place now. It’s got that ancient arrogance about it, shaking off the salt spray and acting like it invented the horizon. Wave at the cows, they're the real locals.

Explorer Tom Gurteen Beach in County Galway is rumored to have been secretly visited by a very famous Irish actor who got stuck in the mud. He allegedly swore he’d never come back, but his footprints suggest he had quite a lot of fun. Bring biscuits, every good story needs biscuits.

Explorer Tom Trá Chuan an Mhada has very strong opinions on modern buildings and thinks they all look like they were designed by a confused robot. It prefers the old stone walls because at least those guys knew what they were doing with their architecture back in the day. Find a local and ask them the real story, then come back and tell me.

Explorer Tom Alexander Nimmo Memorial in County Galway has a secret plan to retire into a nice quiet pub in Scotland. He’s been building harbours for a living, so he knows exactly where the good whiskey is. Wave at the cows, they're the real locals.

Explorer Tom Cnoc Mordáin is the uncle at the wedding who stands by the cake and stares judgmentally at everyone else. It’s got a triangulation pillar that looks like it’s trying to escape the scene. Bring biscuits, every good story needs biscuits.

Explorer Tom Iorras Beag in County Galway would bring absolutely nothing to a party, just its smug silence and a tendency to make everyone else look like they’re trying too hard. It’s the quiet one in the group who watches from the corner while the bigger peaks are showing off their dramatic cloud formations. A proper spot for a flask of tea and a big think.