37-616: The Tyrone Constitution is a newspaper based in Omagh , County Tyrone , Northern Ireland . It is published by the Alpha Newspaper Group . It describes itself as "The traditional newspaper for Omagh and district since 1844". The Tyrone Constitution was established in 1844, the oldest newspaper in the county, and one of the longest-running in Northern Ireland. It circulates in a wide area of Tyrone, stretching from
74-579: A neutral venue. 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. Omagh's rugby team, Omagh Academicals (nicknamed the "Accies"), is an amateur team, made up of primarily of local players. Omagh Cavaliers Cricket Club located in Omagh. A greyhound racing track operated from 1932 until 1940. The track
111-681: A £4.5 million facelift for Omagh's riverbank, was funded by the European Union and planning approved in 2013. Construction for the project began in March 2014, and the OASIS plaza was officially opened in June 2015. Neither the town nor the district of Omagh currently has any railway service. The Irish gauge 1,600 mm ( 5 ft 3 in ) Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway (L&ER) opened as far as Omagh on 3 September 1852 and
148-528: Is " Cfb " (Marine West Coast Climate/ Oceanic climate ). These wards are only those that cover the town. The central urban area south of River Strule forms the townland of Omagh in the civil parish of Drumragh , the adjacent area north of the river forms the townland of Lisnamllard in the civil parish of Cappagh (Upper Strabane portion) . Both civil parishes comprise also outskirts of Omagh and some surrounding countryside. Omagh Urban Electoral Division comprises both townlands. The town sprang up within
185-483: 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. 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
222-525: 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. Omagh has over 20 playgrounds for children, 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
259-464: Is the county town of County Tyrone , Northern Ireland. It is situated where the rivers Drumragh and Camowen meet to form the Strule . Northern Ireland's capital city, Belfast , is 68 miles (109.5 km) to the east of Omagh, and Derry is 34 miles (55 km) to the north. The town had a population of 20,458 at the 2021 Census . At the time of 2011 Census the former district council , which
296-605: 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, and had the distinction of being the first Gaelic-games stadium in Ulster to have floodlights. The stadium now hosts the latter matches of the Tyrone Senior Football Championship , as well as Tyrone's home games, and other inter-county matches that require
333-582: The Education Authority in 2015. Primary schools (elementary schools) Grammar/secondary school Colleges/universities 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,
370-552: The townland of Omagh, in the parish of Drumragh. Over time, the urban area has spread into the surrounding townlands. They include: 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
407-750: The Clogher Valley in the South to the Sperrin Mountains in the North and also penetrates into North Fermanagh. Omagh, the market county town of Tyrone, is at the heart of the circulation area and where the newspaper's editorial and advertising offices are sited. Although covering a largely rural area, there are significant business and commercial centres dotted throughout the sprawling circulation area. The Constitution has long been known for its in-depth coverage of community life and issues that concern
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#1732776271632444-779: The Derry Central. That summer it closed Northern Ireland's last 3 ft ( 914 mm ) narrow gauge lines: the Ballycastle Railway and the Ballymena and Larne Railway . In 1954 seven 6-coach diesel units were put on the Belfast-Bangor line, making it the first completely dieselised passenger service in Ireland. In 1955 the UTA closed the (by then freight-only) branches to Cookstown and Limavady, and
481-602: The Derry Road from Portadown to Derry via Dungannon to Omagh and Strabane . Bus Services in Omagh are operated by Ulsterbus . 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
518-746: The Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane announced that funding had been allocated for exemplar designs and associated technical work for a shared educational campus. The construction was expected to cost in excess of £120 million. As of March 2022, the shared education campus was scheduled to open in 2026. The following is a list of religious buildings in Omagh: The town has two Gaelic football clubs, Omagh St. Enda's , which plays its home games in Healy Park , and Drumragh Sarsfields , which plays its home games at Clanabogan. Healy Park
555-597: 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. 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
592-600: The Irish Republican Army made its first public statement later that month claiming responsibility for the killing. 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 . At the time of the 2021 Census there were 20,458 people living in Omagh. Of these: On Census day (27 March 2011) there were 19,659 people living in Omagh, accounting for 1.09% of
629-557: The NI total. Of these: 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
666-598: The Omagh – Enniskillen railway line in 1957. In accordance with the Benson Report submitted to the Northern Ireland Government in 1963, the Ulster Transport Authority closed the Portadown – Omagh – Londonderry main line in 1965, leaving Tyrone with no rail service. St Lucia Barracks closed on 1 August 2007. On 30 December 1942, a Consolidated Catalina Ib of No. 240 Squadron RAF that
703-524: 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. 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
740-616: The Strule Arts Centre in 1997. 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 April 2011, a car bomb killed police constable Ronan Kerr . A group of former Provisional IRA members calling itself
777-572: The UTA closed almost the entire BCDR network except the Belfast – Bangor commuter line. In the same year it closed the Macfin – Kilrea section of the former NCC's Derry Central Railway and the freight-only branch from Limavady to Dungiven . It also withdrew passenger services from the former NCC branch lines to Cookstown , Draperstown and Limavady and the Magherafelt – Kilrea section of
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#1732776271632814-560: The UTA closed this railway as well. In 1962, on the recommendation of Dr Richard Beeching , the Government of Northern Ireland commissioned a senior Coopers & Lybrand accountant, Sir Henry Benson , to report on the future of the UTA's railways. In 1963 Benson submitted his report, which recommended closing all UTA railways except the Belfast commuter lines to Bangor and Larne and the main line between Belfast and Dublin , and
851-403: The former NCC main line via Coleraine and the former GNR one via Portadown. Benson's recommendation to close both lines provoked strong protest from Northern Ireland's second city and towns along both routes. The Northern Ireland Government responded by retaining the former NCC main line, which was slightly the shorter of the two but also served strongly Unionist parts of County Antrim , plus
888-543: 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. 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
925-645: The line between Castlewellan and Newcastle, County Down (which was still worked by the GNR). In 1957 the Northern Ireland Government made the Great Northern Railway Board close much of its network in the province. This left no railways in many rural areas, including the whole of County Fermanagh . By 1958 the GNR main line was the only remaining railway across the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. In that year what
962-467: The local populace. This was recognised when it received the Northern Ireland and UK Weekly Newspaper of the Year accolade in 1999. www.tyronecon.co.uk This Northern Ireland newspaper-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Omagh Omagh ( / ˈ oʊ m ə , ˈ oʊ m ɑː / ; from Irish : An Ómaigh [ənˠ ˈoːmˠiː] , meaning 'the virgin plain')
999-607: The period 2000–2003, over £80 million was invested in Omagh, and 60,960 m (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 . The 'Omagh Accessible Shared Inclusive Space' (OASIS),
1036-442: The reduction of the main line between Portadown and Dundalk to single track. Benson recommended the only reason for retaining the main line between Portadown and Dundalk was not for transport or economics but solely political. The Republic of Ireland 's government objected to Benson's proposal to single the track between Portadown and Dundalk so the Northern Ireland Government withdrew it. Derry had two rail links with Belfast:
1073-419: The short branch between Coleraine and the seaside resort of Portrush . In 1965 the Northern Ireland government implemented Benson's recommendation to close the former GNR route between Portadown and Derry, informally known as the "Derry Road", at the cost of 400 jobs. This ended all railway services to stations including Dungannon , Omagh , Strabane , and left the entire southwest of the province, including
1110-459: The town. In 1768 Omagh replaced Dungannon as the county town of County Tyrone. Omagh acquired railway links to Londonderry with the Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway in 1852, Enniskillen in 1853 and Belfast in 1861. St Lucia Barracks were completed in 1881. In 1899 Tyrone County Hospital was opened. The Government of Northern Ireland made the Great Northern Railway Board close
1147-730: The whole of County Tyrone , with no rail services. The government also closed the Belfast Central Railway , (that Benson had recommended retaining). The branch between Goraghwood and Newry Edward Street was also closed, leaving Newry with only the inconveniently sited Newry Main Line station some distance up a hill outside the town. These closures left only the Belfast York Road – Londonderry Waterside , Bleach Green – Larne Harbour and Coleraine – Portrush lines in service. Transport Acts in 1967 split
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1184-682: Was extended to Enniskillen in 1854. The Portadown, Dungannon and Omagh Junction Railway (PD&O) reached Omagh in 1861, completing the Portadown – Derry route that came to be informally called "The Derry Road". The Great Northern Railway (Ireland) absorbed the PD&;O in 1876 and the L&;ER in 1883. The Government of Northern Ireland made the GNR Board close the Omagh – Enniskillen line in 1957. The Ulster Transport Authority took over
1221-786: Was formed by the Transport Act 1948 , which merged the Northern Ireland Road Transport Board (NIRTB) and the Belfast and County Down Railway (BCDR). Added to this in 1949 was the Northern Counties Committee (NCC), owned by the British Transport Commission 's Railway Executive since its previous owner, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS), had been nationalised in 1948 . In January 1950
1258-685: Was left of the GNRB was dissolved and split between Córas Iompair Éireann (the Republic of Ireland 's nationalised transport company) and the UTA. In 1959 the UTA closed the (by then freight only) remaining Magherafelt – Kilrea section of the Derry Central and the former GNR (by then freight only) branch from Dungannon to Cookstown north of Coalisland. The UTA also took over the Londonderry Port and Harbour Commissioners ' dual gauge railway that linked Derry 's four railway termini, and in 1962
1295-693: 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. Notable residents or people born in Omagh include: Ulster Transport Authority#The Benson Report The Ulster Transport Authority ( UTA ) ran rail and bus transport in Northern Ireland that operated from 1948 until 1967. The UTA
1332-404: 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. 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
1369-839: Was the largest in County Tyrone , had a population of 51,356. Omagh contains the headquarters of the Western Education and Library Board , and also houses offices for the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs at Sperrin House, the Department for Infrastructure and the Northern Ireland Roads Service at the Tyrone County Hall and the Northern Ireland Land & Property Services at Boaz House. The name Omagh
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