The name Omagh is an anglicisation of the Irish name an Óghmaigh (modern Irish an Ómaigh), meaning "the virgin plain". A monastery was apparently established on the site of the town about 792, and a Franciscan friary was founded in 1464.[7] Omagh was founded as a town in 1610. It served as a refuge for fugitives from the east of County Tyrone during the 1641 Rebellion. In 1689, James II arrived at Omagh, en route to Derry. Supporters of William III, Prince of Orange, later burned the town.
On 30 December 1942, a Consolidated Catalina Ib of No. 240 Squadron RAF that was operating from RAF Killadeas crashed into the town. The crash killed all eleven occupants, however no one on the ground was killed or injured. The cause of the crash was never ascertained.[11]
Omagh Town Hall, which opened on 29 September 1915, hosted many prominent performers, including the actors Anew McMaster, Micheál Mac Liammóir and Jimmy O'Dea, before it was demolished to make way for the Strule Arts Centre in 1997.[12]
Omagh came into the international focus of the media on 15 August 1998, when the Real Irish Republican Army exploded a car bomb in the town centre. 29 people were killed in the blast – 14 women (including one pregnant with twins), 9 children and 6 men. Hundreds more were injured as a result of the blast.
In February 2023, an off-duty senior police officer was shot and critically injured at a sports complex in the town. Police stated they were focusing on the New IRA.[14][15][16]
Recent events
In 2024 an investigation traced what was believed to be the source of a humming noise in Omagh, which had been described as "a real noise nuisance issue for very many families." The source of the noise, however, was not made public.[17][18]
Demographics
National Identity of Omagh residents (2021)[19][20][21]
Nationality
Per cent
Irish
42.4%
Northern Irish
32.6%
British
24.0%
Historical population
Year
Pop.
±%
1981
14,627
—
1991
17,280
+18.1%
2001
19,910
+15.2%
2011
19,659
−1.3%
2021
20,458
+4.1%
According to the World Gazetteer, the following reflects the census data for Omagh since 1981:[5][22]
2021 Census
At the time of the 2021 Census there were 20,458 people living in Omagh. Of these:
19.56% were aged under 16, 63.87% were aged between 16-65, and 16.57% were aged 66 and over.[23]
51.37% of the usually resident population were female and 48.63% were male.[24]
70.88% (14,500) belong to or were brought up in the Catholic, 22.91% (4,687) belong to or were brought up Protestant (including Christian denominations), 1.11% (228) belong to or were brought up in other religions and 5.1% (1,043) belong to no religion.[25]
43.24% had an Irish national identity,[26] 32.62% had a Northern Irish national identity,[27] 24.01% had a British national identity,[28] and 11.02% had an 'other' national identity.[29] (respondents could indicate more than one national identity)
On Census day (27 March 2011) there were 19,659 people living in Omagh, accounting for 1.09% of the NI total.[32] Of these:
20.85% were aged under 16 years and 13.69% were aged 65 and over;
51.27% of the usually resident population were female and 48.73% were male;
71.32% belong to or were brought up in the Catholic Christian faith and 25.36% belong to or were brought up in a 'Protestant and other Christian (including Christian related)'denominations;
36.97% had an Irish national identity, 33.97% had a Northern Irish national identity and 28.51% indicated that they had a British national identity (respondents could indicate more than one national identity);
36 years was the average (median) age of the population;
13.92% had some knowledge of Irish (Gaeilge) and 4.30% had some knowledge of Ulster-Scots.
Geography
Weather
Snow is common in Omagh during the winter months. Shown here is the River Strule.
Omagh has a history of flooding and suffered major floods in 1909, 1929, 1954, 1969, 1987, 1999 and, most recently, 12 June 2007. Flood-walls have been built to keep the water in the channel (River Strule) and to prevent it from overflowing into the flood plain. Large areas of land, mainly around the meanders, are unsuitable for development and were developed into large, green open areas, walking routes and parks. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Cfb" (Marine West Coast Climate/Oceanic climate).[33]
The central urban area south of River Strule forms the townland of Omagh[35] in the civil parish of Drumragh,[36] the adjacent area north of the river forms the townland of Lisnamllard[37] in the civil parish of Cappagh (Upper Strabane portion).[38]
Both civil parishes comprise also outskirts of Omagh and some surrounding countryside.
Omagh Urban Electoral Division comprises both townlands.
The town sprang up within the townland of Omagh, in the parish of Drumragh. Over time, the urban area has spread into the surrounding townlands. They include:[39]
Coolnagard Lower, Coolnagard Upper (from Irish Cúil na gCeard 'nook/corner of the craftsmen' or from Irish Cúl na gCeard 'hill-back of the craftsmen')[40]
Mullaghmore (from Irish Mullach Mór 'big hilltop')[50]
Sedennan (possibly from Irish Sidh Dianáin 'Dennan's fairy mound')[51]
Strathroy or Straughroy (from Irish Srath Crua 'the hard river-holm')[52]
Economy
Places of interest
Gortin Road. Heading south-west towards Omagh; to the left is the "Rest and be thankful" bench.
The Ulster American Folk Park near Omagh includes the cottage where Thomas Mellon was born in 1813, before emigrating to Pennsylvania, in the United States when he was five. His son Andrew W. Mellon became secretary of the US Treasury. The park is an open-air museum that explores the journey made by the Irish (specifically those from Ulster) to America during the 1800s. The park is used to host events during Easter, Christmas, Fourth of July and Halloween. It also hosts a major Bluegrass festival every year. Over 127,000 people visited the park in 2003.[53]
The Gortin Glens Forest Park, 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) north of Omagh, is a large forest with a deer enclosure and several waterfalls and lakes.
Strule Arts Centre opened in 2007 is an example of urban renewal in Omagh town centre: a modern civic building, in a newly created public space reclaimed from the formerly disused area, between the River Strule and High Street.
Parks
Omagh has over 20 playgrounds for children,[54] and a large amount of green open area for all the public. The largest of these is the Grange Park, located near the town centre. Many areas around the meanders of the River Strule have also been developed into open areas. Omagh Leisure Complex is a large public amenity, near the Grange Park and is set in 11 hectares (27 acres) of landscaped grounds and features a leisure centre, boating pond, astroturf pitch and cycle paths.
Retail
Lower Market Street
Omagh is the main retail centre for Tyrone, as well as the West of Ulster (behind Derry and Letterkenny), due to its central location. In the period 2000–2003, over £80 million was invested in Omagh, and 60,960 m2 (656,200 sq ft) of new retail space was created. Shopping areas in Omagh include the Main Street, Great Northern Road Retail Park and the Showgrounds Retail Park on Sedan Avenue in the town centre. Market Street/High Street is also a prominent shopping street, which includes high street stores such as DV8 and Primark.
OASIS Plaza
The 'Omagh Accessible Shared Inclusive Space' (OASIS), a £4.5 million facelift for Omagh's riverbank, was funded by the European Union and planning approved in 2013.[55]
Construction for the project began in March 2014, and the OASIS plaza was officially opened in June 2015.[56]
Transport
Looking at the town's Bridge Street area from an elevated height at the college
Former railways
Neither the town nor the district of Omagh currently has any railway service.
The Government of Northern Ireland made the GNR Board close the Omagh – Enniskillen line in 1957.[8] The Ulster Transport Authority took over the GNR's remaining lines in Northern Ireland in 1958. In accordance with The Benson Report submitted to the Northern Ireland Government in 1963, the UTA closed the "Derry Road" through Omagh on 15 February 1965.[57][61][62] Later the Omagh Throughpass road was built on the disused trackbed through Omagh railway station.
There are currently plans to reopen railway lines in Northern Ireland including the Derry Road from Portadown to Derry via Dungannon to Omagh and Strabane.[63]
The Omagh Throughpass (Stage 3) opened on 18 August 2006.
Education
Omagh has a number of educational institutions at different levels. Omagh was also the headquarters of the Western Education and Library Board (WELB), located at Campsie House on the Hospital Road, before all local education boards in Northern Ireland were combined into the Education Authority in 2015.
Primary schools (elementary schools)
Christ The King Primary School
Gibson Primary School
Gillygooley Primary School
Holy Family Primary School
Omagh County Primary School (and Nursery School)
Omagh Integrated Primary School (and Nursery School)
St Mary's Primary School
St Conor's Primary School
Gaelscoil na gCrann Irish language Primary school (and Naíscoil – Irish language nursery school)
The Department for Education proposed to co-locate Omagh's six existing secondary schools on the former 190-acre St Lucia Army Barracks, as one large shared educational campus. In April 2009, at the inaugural Lisanelly Shared Educational Campus Steering Group meeting held in Arvalee School and Resource Centre, the Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane announced that funding had been allocated for exemplar designs and associated technical work for a shared educational campus.[65] The construction was expected to cost in excess of £120 million.[66] As of March 2022, the shared education campus was scheduled to open in 2026.[67]
Religious buildings
Omagh First Presbyterian Church
The following is a list of religious buildings in Omagh:
Healy Park is the home of Tyrone GAA and the county's largest and main sports stadium located on the Gortin Road, has a capacity nearing 25,000,[68][69] and had the distinction of being the first Gaelic-games stadium in Ulster to have floodlights.[70]
Omagh no longer has a top-flight local football team, since the demise of Omagh Town F.C. in 2005. Strathroy Harps FC are the only Omagh and Tyrone team to win the Irish junior cup twice in 2012 and 2013.
Rugby
Omagh's rugby team, Omagh Academicals (nicknamed the "Accies"), is an amateur team, made up of primarily of local players.
Cricket
Omagh Cavaliers Cricket Club located in Omagh.
Greyhound racing
A greyhound racing track operated from 1932 until 1940.[72] The track was opened by the Duke of Abercorn on 25 May 1932 and racing took place at 'The Park' in the Showgrounds. It was organised by the Tyrone Greyhound Racing Association until 1940.[73]
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