Omagh served as a refuge for fugitives from the east of County Tyrone during the 1641 Rebellion. In 1689, the same year as the Battle of the Boyne, James II arrived at Omagh, en route to Derry. Supporters of William III, Prince of Orange, later burned the town. Omagh acquired railway links to Derry with the Londonderry and Enniskillen Railway in 1852, Enniskillen in 1853 and Belfast in 1861. The original crest of the town of Omagh was Three lions couchant but it was never officially registered.
Learn more about Omagh’s varied and exciting History and some of the famous people in whose footsteps you are now walking by completing this series that has been created using a trail set up by the former Omagh District Council. The trail starts at the Tourist Information Centre, Market Street and you will be able to absorb quite a bit of the town’s history and character in the course of this little stroll. The walk itself will take about an (not including time needed to search for the caches). Omagh has been a market town, a garrison town, and the county town of Tyrone since 1768. As you walk through its main thoroughfare you are walking the line of the town centre as it was on its foundation as a town in 1610, although there have been settlements along the banks of its rivers since the days of antiquity. Sample the quiet charm of Omagh, and experience the good humour of its people, as you examine some of the features that have shaped this historic town. PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE IS NOT A GEOCACHE AT EACH LOCATION BECAUSE OF THE LIMITATIONS ON DISTANCE BETWEEN GEOCACHES.
THE ROYAL ARMS HOTEL (Omagh trail #1) - A Deed of Grant in 1787 transferred the Royal Arms Hotel, once known as the Kings Arms Hotel, to Matthew Orr and over the years it had been operated by a number of owners, with the Waterson family being the last, when the premises was finally closed in 1998. The rear of the hotel had stabling facilities when farmers visited the town and it was a hive of activity on market days. In later years it was often used as a meeting point for many people in the town. Although no longer a hotel, the elegant front façade can still be seen by passers-by on High Street.
KING JAMES RESTING PLACE (Omagh trail #2) - First Trust, Ulster and former Provincial Banks. The First Trust, built in 1923, has a late Portland stone classical façade. The Ulster Bank, built in 1909, is a detached block typical of the Art Nouveau classicism with bulging columns and balustrades. Facing it, is the finest high Victorian building in the town. This former bank was built in 1864 is flanked by fine Georgian houses built in 1780. King James II spent a night in Omagh in April, 1689 on the site where the Ulster Bank stands.
OMAGH COURTHOUSE (Omagh trail #3) - The Courthouse dominates the High Street and is the town’s most distinctive building. The architect of this magnificent building was John Hargrave of Cork. The structure, as seen today, incorporates the plan of an old Market House around which it was built. It was built in 2 parts between 1814 and 1863 at a cost of £17,000. The Tuscan columned portico was added in 1824. The building has a fine recently restored interior. It has 13 steps leading up to the entrance - unlucky for some!
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE GEOCACHE IS NOT AT THE COORDINATES ABOVE BUT STANDING THERE YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED TO WORK OUT THE FINAL LOCATION
The full name of the Ulster Bank is cast in stone - note down the number of letters in this name
On the old Victoria building opposite, note down the 4 digit number carved out of stone
On the front of the courthouse there are several full round columns - count how many there are
A = Number of letters in the name of the building - 17
B = First 2 digits carved into the stone on the Victoria building - 18
C = Third digit in the stone - Last the last digit
D = Number of columns / 3
E = (C + D) - 2
F = (C + D) x 2
Geocache location: N54.36.ABC W007.18.DEF
The final cache is located in a HIGH muggle area - please be discreet!