Strabane

Strabane has been defined by its three rivers. The River Finn flows out of Donegal to the west, while the Mourne River flows down from Omagh to the south. At Strabane they combine into the River Foyle, which flows 14 miles north to reach the sea at Derry. Fed by the ample Ulster rain, they're fast-flowing and were harnessed for mills, to process flax into linen. But that made them difficult to ford, so at Strabane there was a ferry to Lifford on the west bank, and since 1730 a bridge. There's no other crossing of the Foyle until you reach Derry.

The area has good farmland and its Irish name is An Srath Bán, "the white strath, the grassy water-meadow". It attracted a series of settlers: Celts, Vikings, the O'Neill dynasty of Tyrone, the Plantation Scots. This meant that prehistoric and early Christian sites hereabouts have been lost to the plough, while surviving in wilder country elsewhere. Ulster was organised into counties after the Nine Years' War broke Gaelic resistance to the English, and the Finn and Foyle became the natural boundary between County Donegal on the west bank and County Tyrone on the east. County Londonderry began a few miles north at the tidal and navigation limit of the Foyle. Scottish settlers were already moving in before the war, but 1607 saw the flight of the defeated Earl of Tyrone into exile, and seizure of his estates. In 1608 rebels burned Derry, and London authority was determined to prevent further uprisings, so they began the systematic Plantation of Ulster with loyal Protestants. These became the majority population especially in the industrial east, but Strabane remained mostly Catholic.

In 1921 the prolonged Anglo-Irish conflict led to the partition of Ireland. County Donegal, though geographically in Ulster, was Catholic and joined Southern Ireland, which became an independent Republic. Tyrone and Londonderry were mostly Protestant and joined Northern Ireland, which remained within the United Kingdom. A boundary commission recommended transferring Strabane to the south (along with similar Catholic areas such as south Armagh) but it was politically sabotaged and its report was suppressed until 1969. An international border now separated Strabane and Lifford, blighting transport, trade and industry on both sides.

Strabane was therefore already a depressed place before the "Troubles" of the late 20th century, and economic grievances stoked sectarian tensions. The army and police arrived in force, and then themselves became frequent targets for bombs and shooting. The position of the border wasn't a major political issue, it was the legitimacy of that border and continued British rule in Northern Ireland, but it did not improve local opinion when the boundary commission report was leaked to learn that they might have been in the Republic all along. The town was extensively damaged, and employment and industry fled. And then the river flooded the town in 1987.

The Good Friday Agreement of 1998 led to de-escalation of violence and military presence, and the border on the Foyle river bridge became as insignificant as a parish boundary. Economic regeneration however was slow. The nearby city of Derry successfully re-launched itself as a place worthy of tourism and investment. Strabane grew as a commuter town for Derry but otherwise has struggled to benefit. In 2011 the counties of Northern Ireland were abolished as units of local government, and since 2015 the town has been part of the "super-district" of Derry and Strabane. Since 2020 the big uncertainty has been the effect of Brexit on the Irish border.

Ulsterbus 273 runs from Belfast Europa bus station, hourly M-Sa and every two hours Sunday, via Lurgan, Dungannon and Omagh to Strabane (2 hr 30 min), continuing to Derry.

Goldline Bus X3 runs once or twice a day from Dublin Busáras and Airport via Monaghan and Omagh to Strabane (3 hr) and Derry. Or you could take the X4 from Dublin to Derry and change.

Derry is the nearest railway station, with hourly trains from Belfast. In addition to the inter-city buses, Ulsterbus 98 takes 30 min between Derry and Strabane M-Sa hourly in the morning and late afternoon but with long gaps midday.

🌍 Strabane bus station is south bank of the Mourne River on A5, a short walk from town centre. There's a Lidl, a fast food outlet and a B&B adjacent.

By road from Belfast follow M2 / A6 towards Derry and branch off onto B49 at Claudy.

Lifford is walking distance, and since 1998 there have been no border checks. It's up to you to ensure that you're eligible to cross between UK and Ireland, that you carry any relevant documents with you, and that your car insurance / rental agreement is valid for both countries.

Buses towards Omagh will take you to Sion Mills. You need your own wheels for other out-of-town sites.

National Cycleway 95 runs mostly on-road from Armagh to Dungannon, Cookstown and Strabane. Route 92 runs from Enniskillen to Omagh, Strabane and Derry.

• The Tinneys is the local name for the street sculpture "Let the dance begin." They're five 20-foot steel figures by the A5 roundabout northwest edge of town, at the junction with A38 to Lifford. They were commissioned to celebrate the relaxation of the border, the "dance" being the re-united communities.
• 🌍 Gray's Printing Press, 49 Main Street BT82 8AU, ☏ +44 28 8674 8210, grays@nationaltrust.org.uk. It remains closed to the public. The National Trust owns this shop in which John Dunlap (1747-1812) learnt the printing trade. He moved to Philadelphia to work for his uncle's printing business, eventually taking it over. He fought alongside Washington in the War of Independence, and won the printing contract for the Continental Congress. He printed their 1776 declaration of their break with Britain, now called the United States Declaration of Independence, and other government documents including currency. The shop displays printing technology of his time. (updated Apr 2024)
• Church of the Immaculate Conception on Barrack St is RC, completed in 1895.
• 🌍 Wilson Homestead, 28 Spout Rd BT82 8NB (2 miles southeast of town on B536 Fountain St). Jul-Sep: W 1-4PM by prior arrangement only. The homestead of James Wilson, grandfather of President Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the USA. It's run as part of the Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh. Free. (updated Oct 2020)
• Political murals are painted here and there in the town. They change with events - in 2014 one notable series expressed solidarity with Palestine - so ask around for any worth seeking out.
• 🌍 Lifford is the little village half a mile west of Strabane that is the county town of County Donegal. The Old Courthouse, built in 1746, has a museum and does tours; it also operates as an escape room.
• 🌍 Sion Mills is a planned village 3 miles south of Strabane, built in the late 19th century around Herdman's flax mill. "Sion" is from an Irish placename Seein, probably referring to a mound, it doesn't derive from "Zion". The mill is imposing and there's a cluster of fine half-timbered buildings. It's as significant to Northern Ireland as Saltaire is to England and New Lanark is to Scotland, but it's become derelict and suffered arson, and is in danger of collapse. You can wander round at a distance and see the swinging bridge and other mechanisms by the river.
• See Omagh for Newtonstewart, a village 10 miles south of Strabane with two ruined castles that won't detain you long.
• See Letterkenny for Beltany Stone Circle, 7 miles west near Raphoe in County Donegal.

• Alley Theatre and Conference Centre, Railway Street BT82 8EF, ☏ +44 28 7138 4444. Daily 10AM-5PM. A 270-seat theatre, conference centre, art gallery, tourist information centre and cafe-bar. (updated Oct 2020)
• Strabane Drama Festival is in mid-March at Alley Theatre. See also listings for Derry, which co-hosts some events with Strabane.
• Eclipse Cinema is north bank of the river in Lifford.
• Strabane Canal, built in 1796, fell derelict in 1962 and is mostly just a line of shrubs. Its north end at the confluence of River Foyle and Burn Dennett was expensively but incompetently rebuilt in 2006 and is again derelict, but you can walk the towpath.

• Asda north side of town is open M-F 8AM-11PM, Sa noon-10PM, Su 1-6PM; the filling station is open 24 hours.

• Lots of cheap and cheerful eateries in town centre, including Murphys on the Green, Golden Palace, Masala, and Jaspers.
• Oysters, 37 Patrick St BT82 8DQ, ☏ +44 28 7138 2690. Tu-Su noon-9:30PM. European menu, the fish earns the best reviews, but plenty of meat and veggie choice. (updated Oct 2020)

• Dicey Riley's on Market St is open daily noon-midnight.
• Devlins and Charlie's Bar are nearby, Farmers Home and The Railway are west along Railway St.

• Bradley's B&B, 5 Mourne Manor, Bradley Way BT82 9TJ, ☏ +44 28 7151 6787. Cheerful B&B next to bus station, no children or dogs. B&B double £60. (updated Oct 2020)
• 🌍 Fir Trees Hotel, Dublin Rd BT82 9EA, ☏ +44 28 7138 2382. Clean, well-run hotel at south end of town, handy for A5. B&B double £100. (updated Oct 2020)

Strabane and Lifford have 4G from all UK and Irish carriers. The Irish signal is stronger, so take care which network your mobile latches onto, in case of extra charges. As of Aug 2021, 5G has not reached this area.

• Derry is a must-see, a historic city retaining its defensive walls.
• Omagh has the Ulster American Folk Park.
• Cookstown is near several prehistoric sites.