The name Omagh is ananglicisation of the Irish namean Óghmaigh (modern Irishan 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 ofCounty Tyrone during the1641 Rebellion. In 1689,James II arrived at Omagh, en route toDerry. Supporters ofWilliam III, Prince of Orange, later burned the town.
On 30 December 1942, aConsolidated Catalina Ib ofNo. 240 Squadron RAF that was operating fromRAF 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 a number of notable performers, including the actorsAnew McMaster,Micheál Mac Liammóir andJimmy O'Dea, before it was demolished to make way for the Strule Arts Centre in 1997.[12]
Omagh became the focus of international media attention when, on 15 August 1998, theReal 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 theNew IRA.[14][15][16]
At the time of the2021 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.[21]
51.37% of the usually resident population were female and 48.63% were male.[22]
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.[23]
43.24% had an Irish national identity,[24] 32.62% had a Northern Irish national identity,[25] 24.01% had a British national identity,[26] and 11.02% had an 'other' national identity.[27] (respondents could indicate more than one national identity)
On census day 2011 (27 March 2011), there were 19,659 people living in Omagh, accounting for 1.09% of the NI total.[30][31] 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.
Snow is common in Omagh during the winter months. Shown here is theRiver 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 theflood plain. Large areas of land, mainly around themeanders, are unsuitable for development and were developed into large, green open areas, walking routes and parks. TheKöppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Cfb" (Marine West Coast Climate/Oceanic climate).[32]
The town sprang up within thetownland of Omagh, in the parish of Drumragh. Over time, the urban area has spread into the surrounding townlands. They include:[38]
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')[39]
Omagh is the main retail centre for Tyrone, as well as the West of Ulster (behind Derry andLetterkenny), 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 asDV8 andPrimark.
Strule Arts Centre is an example of urban renewal in Omagh town centre. Opened in 2007, this civic building is located in a newly created public space which was reclaimed from a formerly disused area between the River Strule and High Street.[citation needed]
The Mid Ulster Film Festival, established in 2004,[52] took place in Omagh until its cancellation in 2010.[53]
Gortin Road. Heading south-west towards Omagh; to the left is the "Rest and be thankful" bench.
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.[54] Construction began in March 2014, and the OASIS plaza was officially opened in June 2015.[55]
TheUlster American Folk Park, near Omagh, includes the cottage whereThomas Mellon was born (in 1813) before his family emigrated toPennsylvania in the United States. His son,Andrew W. Mellon, becamesecretary of theUS 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 seasonal events and also hosts aBluegrass festival every year. Over 127,000 people visited the park in 2003.[56]
TheGortin Glens Forest Park, 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) north of Omagh, is a large forest with a deer enclosure and several waterfalls and lakes.
Omagh has over 20 playgrounds for children,[57] and several public green spaces. The largest of these is theGrange Park near the town centre. Several areas alongside the River Strule have also been developed into open areas. Omagh Leisure Complex is a public amenity, near Grange Park on 11 hectares (27 acres) of landscaped grounds, which has aleisure centre, boating pond,astroturf pitch and cycle paths.[citation needed]
TheGovernment of Northern Ireland made the GNR Board close the Omagh – Enniskillen line in 1957.[8] TheUlster Transport Authority took over the GNR's remaining lines in Northern Ireland in 1958. In accordance withThe Benson Report submitted to the Northern Ireland Government in 1963, the UTA closed the "Derry Road" through Omagh on 15 February 1965.[58][62][63] Later the Omagh Throughpass road was built on the disused trackbed throughOmagh railway station.
As of 2014, there were plans to reopen railway lines in Northern Ireland including the Derry Road fromPortadown to Derry viaDungannon toOmagh andStrabane.[64]
Omagh has a number of educational institutions at different levels. These include at least 10 primary schools.[citation needed]
The town was previously the headquarters of theWestern Education and Library Board (WELB), located at Campsie House on the Hospital Road, before all local education boards in Northern Ireland were combined into theEducation Authority in 2015.
TheDepartment for Education proposed to co-locate Omagh's six existing secondary schools on the former 190-acreSt 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.[66] The construction was expected to cost in excess of £120 million.[67] As of March 2022, the shared education campus was scheduled to open in 2026.[68]
Healy Park is the home ofTyrone GAA and the county's largest and main sports stadium located on theGortin Road, has a capacity nearing 25,000,[70][71] and had the distinction of being the first Gaelic-games stadium in Ulster to have floodlights.[72]
Omagh no longer has a top-flight localfootball team, since the demise ofOmagh 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.
Agreyhound racing track operated from 1932 until 1940.[74] The track was opened by theDuke 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.[75]
Omagh Cavaliers Cricket Club is also located in Omagh.[citation needed]
^"Explore Our Campuses".swc.ac.uk. Retrieved14 February 2025.Since the South West College Merger in 2007, our campuses and facilities across Tyrone and Fermanagh have been ever-evolving [..] Our Omagh Campus is in the town centre
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