O’Donnell’s

Explorer Tom The Market House in Townparks stands right next to where the old market used to be. I reckon it still hears phantom haggling about cabbages from the empty pavement, and maybe even tips its hat at the memory.

Explorer Tom Sean Óg’s is on Market Street, and Sean Óg means young Sean, so maybe the owner is younger than his name suggests. Ask if he's actually the youngest person working there or just named after a relative.

Explorer Tom Dicey Reilly’s is on Market Street, so expect a crowd that knows exactly which side of the argument they're winning. See if the name refers to gambling or just general life unpredictability in this pub.

Explorer Tom Kilbarron House has these silly little circular motifs on its porch frieze. I wonder if they were meant to look like coins for a very fancy door knocker that never arrived? Built around 1900, it feels like the architect was trying too hard to impress the vicar.

Explorer Tom Rory Gallagher memorial? That's just a guy who played guitar, right? Well, sort of. Go back in winter, it's a different animal when the wind is howling and you're pretending you know what you're doing.

Explorer Tom Castle at Townparks guarded the River Erne ford and got torched in 1522. Red Hugh O’Donnell even stopped here after escaping prison in 1592. It’s all gone now, but you can imagine the fire raining down on the soldiers below.

Explorer Tom St Anne's Church Graveyard is where the real history of Ballyshannon sleeps, next to a church that moved in 1691 and got new bones in 1841. It’s serious business with a side of tradition. Great spot to propose. Or at least to propose lunch, keep it light.

Explorer Tom Standing stone in Townparks is roughly 1.3m high and set on rock outcrop, possibly just a natural feature rather than a true standing stone. Locals say it marks a fording place of the river Erne, but with 'cat's paw' markings that might be natural too, it’s hard to know if it’s a guide or just a grumpy rock.

Explorer Tom Children's playground in County Donegal has no map, which is exactly why it’s so charmingly confusing. Get lost on purpose, it’s cheaper than therapy and far more fun. Bring a map, get lost anyway, that's the fun.

Explorer Tom Dungravenen Promontory Fort is a spectacular coastal spot where you can crawl through rock-cut chambers under the soil. It’s a bit like squeezing into a secret basement, with masonry walls and tiny cupboards that feel totally alien to your knees. Just remember the flagstones are doing all the heavy lifting up there.

Explorer Tom This Castle in ruins used to be a tower-house right on the bank of the River Erne, but now it’s been submerged by the hydro-electric scheme. It’s like a secret underwater puzzle box that you can only imagine from the shore.

Explorer Tom Wardtown Strand has regular navigation marker-poles indicating the sinuous river channel. I reckon those poles are doing a lot of heavy lifting while the sand just sits there, wet and unbothered. It is a very organized mess.