Vincent Brogan: 19th Century

Meeting of Wednesday 4 March 2020
Speaker Vincent Brogan: Topic – “19th Century Omagh”

Vincent began by referencing a plantation map made in 1610 which clearly showed Market Street and the Road to Dublin. He recounted key events in the development of the town including the building of churches, the Courthouse and the Jail.   His first slide was a semi-comical postcard showing a horse kicking off a policeman’s helmet outside the police station where Curran’s Opticians now stands. The Pigot Directory of 1824 lists all the businesses and buildings in the town and records that coaches ran three times a week to Dublin. Members were amused to learn that in 1840 Omagh had 34 pubs for a population of 3000.

Vincent elaborated on the development of Omagh as a garrison town in the 19th century for the Royal Tyrone Fusiliers and later the Royal Enniskillen Fusiliers.  The population of Tyrone fell dramatically from 1841 to 1901 but the population of Omagh town grew as people moved into the town for work. The arrival of the railways enabled people, goods and animals to be transported more easily and Vincent with the aid of postcards spoke of the development of hotels in Omagh and places of entertainment such as the Ulster Hall. He informed members that maps of old Omagh were available on the PRONI website to download free of charge.

Vincent was thanked by Probian John McCandless for a detailed and informative talk that was much appreciated by members.