Annual Events
Strule Arts Centre, located in the town centre, offers a wide range of events, covering all genres, throughout the year. For more information call 028 8224 7831, or email; info@struleartscentre.co.uk or log on to: www.struleartscentre.co.uk
Other Council Events
Benedict Kiely Literary Weekend
This event takes place in September. The festival celebrates the literary heritage of West Tyrone. With a key-note speaker on the Friday night and a full programme of talks & seminars on the Saturday it is a weekend that is not to be missed. The event features internationally respected writers, critics and cultural commentators. A highlight of the weekend is a bus tour through the Kiely’s countryside with hilarious commentary by Omagh’s own Stephen McKenna. Previous visitors have included Brian Friel, Tom Kilroy and Theo Dorgan.
Programme information is available from June each year from the Tourist Information Centre, telephone: 028 8224 5321 ext 405, email: bernie.kirrane@omagh.gov.uk
Omagh MidSummer Carnival
This event takes place on a day as close to the 21st June as possible. Come and watch the Carnival Parade, where 700 people take to the streets to party. From young primary school children to older people – all are costumed fantastically by Omagh’s community artists. Drumming, chanting, laughing and dancing, Omagh says hello to Summer with this extraordinary parade. The parade ends in th Grange Park where there are children’s shows, workshops and music all afternoon – and all for free! Enjoy a snack, get your face painted and celebrate the summer!
To confirm the date of the event for this year contact Arts & Tourism Department, Omagh District Council at 028 8224 5321 ext 405, email: bernie.kirrane@omagh.gov.uk
Halloween Fireworks Display & Entertainment
To confirm the date of the event for this year contact Arts & Tourism Department, Omagh District Council at 028 8224 5321 ext 405, email: bernie.kirrane@omagh.gov.uk
St Patrick's Festival
An annual week long festival. For more information please contact Coleen McCann; tel: 028 8224 5321 ext 403 or email; coleen.mccann@omagh.gov.uk
Cairn Sunday
This annual walk to the summit of Mullaghcarn takes place on the last Sunday of July every year at 2.30pm from the gate north of the Forest Park Entrance.
The name of Mullaghcarn is translated to “the summit of the heap (of stones)” which indicates how the mountain has been famous for over 1000 years for the Cairn on the summit, added to over the years by those who climbed it. The Cairn is believed to mark a place of great religious importance, most likely a burial site about 2000 years old. The origin of Cairn Sunday is thought to date back to Pagan times, when the idea was to be closer to and to worship their god or gods. There are believed to have been 39 such assemblies in Ulster. When Christian missionaries changed the nature of the day into one of pilgrimage and rejoicing, it was renamed Blaeberry Sunday. At the summit there were religious exercises followed by sports, picking berries, eating drinking, singing and dancing. For more information please email: glensdg162@aol.com
Other Annual Events in the District
For information on other events please click here
