Omagh area recommendations

[GetOverTheBar]

My parents are going to a wedding up around Omagh in a couple of weeks. They're heading from Mayo on the day (Thurs) before the wedding, staying in Carrickmore - anywhere around that general area that people would recommend for food?

Also, if they were to go up early in the day, is there anything in particular worth seeing?

Thanks

Restaurants in Omagh area are fairly bleak, a good number can't even manage a 5 rating for hygiene.  Grants is the best in the town and there are no others I would take anyone to outside the town unless you just wanted a basic good feed of the same old stuff, about as good as a carry out of which Omagh has a huge number.

When you stop to think about what is worth seeing in Omagh, there is little or nothing worthwhile for the tourist. The Folk Park is great on a dry day otherwise bring a good coat and boots, remember Omagh has one of the highest rainfalls for towns in Ireland, on a par with Derry.  The Omagh bomb memorial must be one of the worst of its type anywhere in the world.  Town centre is grim with too much traffic, too little parking, too many charity shops and too many closed premises. 

The more I think about it the worse it gets from a visitor point of view.  Apart from that it is a good place to live, great schools, plenty of sporting clubs of all types, good leisure facilities and a very good place to bring up children. Just a pity we have to export them out of the area to get worthwhile, reasonably paid jobs.

Tremendous assassination of the town. Actually feel a bit depressed after reading that.

[trailer]

My parents are going to a wedding up around Omagh in a couple of weeks. They're heading from Mayo on the day (Thurs) before the wedding, staying in Carrickmore - anywhere around that general area that people would recommend for food?

Also, if they were to go up early in the day, is there anything in particular worth seeing?

Thanks

Restaurants in Omagh area are fairly bleak, a good number can't even manage a 5 rating for hygiene.  Grants is the best in the town and there are no others I would take anyone to outside the town unless you just wanted a basic good feed of the same old stuff, about as good as a carry out of which Omagh has a huge number.

When you stop to think about what is worth seeing in Omagh, there is little or nothing worthwhile for the tourist. The Folk Park is great on a dry day otherwise bring a good coat and boots, remember Omagh has one of the highest rainfalls for towns in Ireland, on a par with Derry.  The Omagh bomb memorial must be one of the worst of its type anywhere in the world.  Town centre is grim with too much traffic, too little parking, too many charity shops and too many closed premises. 

The more I think about it the worse it gets from a visitor point of view.  Apart from that it is a good place to live, great schools, plenty of sporting clubs of all types, good leisure facilities and a very good place to bring up children. Just a pity we have to export them out of the area to get worthwhile, reasonably paid jobs.

That's a fairly accurate analysis of Omagh. It's a bit of a kip to be fair. There's not a restaurant I'd ever been recommended either.
But lots of towns in NI are suffering, high streets are full of vaping, charity and coffee shops.
Dungannon has the Hill of the O'Neill and it's worthwhile. It's also blowing a shit load of money, so please come and support it.

[Rois]

What happened the Gortin Historical park?

Gone a long time (funding). 

[Owen Brannigan]

What happened the Gortin Historical park?

Gone a long time (funding).

Actually was a much better educational resource than Folk Park and was lost because the two were never joined. Eventually sold off with some controversy by Council.  Built by the much underestimated resource called Enterprise Ulster. No sure what state it is now in. 

[Owen Brannigan]

My parents are going to a wedding up around Omagh in a couple of weeks. They're heading from Mayo on the day (Thurs) before the wedding, staying in Carrickmore - anywhere around that general area that people would recommend for food?

Also, if they were to go up early in the day, is there anything in particular worth seeing?

Thanks

Restaurants in Omagh area are fairly bleak, a good number can't even manage a 5 rating for hygiene.  Grants is the best in the town and there are no others I would take anyone to outside the town unless you just wanted a basic good feed of the same old stuff, about as good as a carry out of which Omagh has a huge number.

When you stop to think about what is worth seeing in Omagh, there is little or nothing worthwhile for the tourist. The Folk Park is great on a dry day otherwise bring a good coat and boots, remember Omagh has one of the highest rainfalls for towns in Ireland, on a par with Derry.  The Omagh bomb memorial must be one of the worst of its type anywhere in the world.  Town centre is grim with too much traffic, too little parking, too many charity shops and too many closed premises. 

The more I think about it the worse it gets from a visitor point of view.  Apart from that it is a good place to live, great schools, plenty of sporting clubs of all types, good leisure facilities and a very good place to bring up children. Just a pity we have to export them out of the area to get worthwhile, reasonably paid jobs.

Tremendous assassination of the town. Actually feel a bit depressed after reading that.

Worst part is that all of it is true and could be even worse. Didn't mention the weekend night time entertainment on John Street or Main Street which make them no go areas most weekends if you are over 25.  Or the multiple carryouts all along Campsie that make it a no go area when the pubs and nightclubs empty..

[redcard]

My parents are going to a wedding up around Omagh in a couple of weeks. They're heading from Mayo on the day (Thurs) before the wedding, staying in Carrickmore - anywhere around that general area that people would recommend for food?

Also, if they were to go up early in the day, is there anything in particular worth seeing?

Thanks

Restaurants in Omagh area are fairly bleak, a good number can't even manage a 5 rating for hygiene.  Grants is the best in the town and there are no others I would take anyone to outside the town unless you just wanted a basic good feed of the same old stuff, about as good as a carry out of which Omagh has a huge number.

When you stop to think about what is worth seeing in Omagh, there is little or nothing worthwhile for the tourist. The Folk Park is great on a dry day otherwise bring a good coat and boots, remember Omagh has one of the highest rainfalls for towns in Ireland, on a par with Derry.  The Omagh bomb memorial must be one of the worst of its type anywhere in the world.  Town centre is grim with too much traffic, too little parking, too many charity shops and too many closed premises. 

The more I think about it the worse it gets from a visitor point of view.  Apart from that it is a good place to live, great schools, plenty of sporting clubs of all types, good leisure facilities and a very good place to bring up children. Just a pity we have to export them out of the area to get worthwhile, reasonably paid jobs.

Tremendous assassination of the town. Actually feel a bit depressed after reading that.

Worst part is that all of it is true and could be even worse. Didn't mention the weekend night time entertainment on John Street or Main Street which make them no go areas most weekends if you are over 25.  Or the multiple carryouts all along Campsie that make it a no go area when the pubs and nightclubs empty..

Really have to dispute this especially the restaurants.
Grants as pointed out earlier is good as also is Barbonis a few yards away down Castle Street.
The village Inn in Killyclogher has proved a popular attraction in more recent months  and is frequented by many people of your parents age availing of the carvery during the day.
The Millstone is also a popular attraction with many and I include the restaurant and the bar food in that. The bar food is reasonably priced. Sally's in John Street is also a popular spot.
The Ulster American Folk Park is a must as it will delight your parents with houses from the past just like your grandparents houses. The history of emigration from Ireland is also very interesting.
The Coach Inn on the Dromore Road is good also.
Also the Old Charm Inn in Carrickmore is reasonable and worth a visit.

[MK]

Having  frequented a few of the above mentioned establishments I can concur with the previous poster in saying The Village Inn Killyclogher(en route to  Carrickmore) has really been re-vitalised recently,also a visit to  the Coach  for lunch/dinner is worthy of a mention.
Regarding things to do ....you could always visit the Goldmines around Greencastle or stop off  at Creggan

[Jim Bob]

Find a pub and go on the rip !!!

[armaghniac]

What happened the Gortin Historical park?

Gone a long time (funding).

Actually was a much better educational resource than Folk Park and was lost because the two were never joined. Eventually sold off with some controversy by Council.  Built by the much underestimated resource called Enterprise Ulster.

Enterprise Ulster did all sorts of useful work. The abandonment of the park illustrates what is wrong with public spending in the 6 counties.

No sure what state it is now in.

"Hidden but never forgotten"

[marty34]

I remember Enterprise Ulster. 

I always thought about the government starting a new acheme like this for lads to work in GAA grounds etc - cutting grass, tidying up and painting etc. Part of the scheme could include upskilling etc. and tie in with people who are unemployed for a certain period of time.  Employ them on a years contract possibly.

It would give some local employment, keep the grounds tidy (not that they're bad) through daily work and help in club planning in the longer term.

[sekibanki]

It's not a terribly remarkable place on its own, and for around the last 125 years or so its been a sort of garrison, market and services town, albeit with the garrison bit now gone. Other than this it struggles on having little in the way of notable history for it - Armagh has its cathedrals, Enniskillen has its own landscapes, Derry has its historical walls, but there's little of note in Omagh aside from being on the southern foothills of the Sperrins, where the Camowen & Drumragh rivers meet to form the Strule.

I always viewed this as being due to the fact that Dungannon is the town with the rich history in Tyrone, and that town effectively abdicated its title of county town due
to poor policy and poor planning, and also that it was a hotbed of sectarian tension and dangerous during the Troubles. Omagh just kind of assumed the role of primary town as a result.

[trailer]

Few additional points
Anyone who recommends a place for food based on its carvery, should immediately have their opinion dismissed. It's the worst type of food. The cheapest ingredients, boiled and roasted beyond recognition, haped up on plate then bastardised with gravy. A lazy feed for lazy people who don't want to cook nor wait on a properly cooked meal.

Omagh's infrastructure is awful. It's always jammed with traffic including the "bypass". God help you if you wish to turn right, out the Dromore road. Expect an hour wait as the filter light lets 1.5 cars through every 5 mins. There isn't a decent road into nor out of it. There's no train station so is only accessible by road. Narrow and dangerous high speed roads. There's no shopping in it worth talking about. Years and years of little and poor investment has left it and many, many other towns in the west of NI cut adrift. It's a perfect example of poor planning with no foresight can do.

Dungannon which also has it's problems is at least surrounded by nice villages, Edendork where the vast majority of white / local parents send their primary school children*, Donaghmore, Moy, Benburb, Killyman. Omagh has Dromore, Trillick and Fintona. Not inspiring to say the least.
*The local primary school in Dungannon is 80% - 90% foreign national.

However, the people are lovely and It does have some excellent schools.

[quit yo jibbajabba]

Some boy comes on lookin tips on where to eat and go for a relative and yis are now talkin about where the white kids go to school. Couldnt make this shit up 😃😃

[ziggysego]

My parents are going to a wedding up around Omagh in a couple of weeks. They're heading from Mayo on the day (Thurs) before the wedding, staying in Carrickmore - anywhere around that general area that people would recommend for food?

Also, if they were to go up early in the day, is there anything in particular worth seeing?

Thanks

Restaurants in Omagh area are fairly bleak, a good number can't even manage a 5 rating for hygiene.  Grants is the best in the town and there are no others I would take anyone to outside the town unless you just wanted a basic good feed of the same old stuff, about as good as a carry out of which Omagh has a huge number.

When you stop to think about what is worth seeing in Omagh, there is little or nothing worthwhile for the tourist. The Folk Park is great on a dry day otherwise bring a good coat and boots, remember Omagh has one of the highest rainfalls for towns in Ireland, on a par with Derry.  The Omagh bomb memorial must be one of the worst of its type anywhere in the world.  Town centre is grim with too much traffic, too little parking, too many charity shops and too many closed premises. 

The more I think about it the worse it gets from a visitor point of view.  Apart from that it is a good place to live, great schools, plenty of sporting clubs of all types, good leisure facilities and a very good place to bring up children. Just a pity we have to export them out of the area to get worthwhile, reasonably paid jobs.

Owen's from Armagh

[Owen Brannigan]

My parents are going to a wedding up around Omagh in a couple of weeks. They're heading from Mayo on the day (Thurs) before the wedding, staying in Carrickmore - anywhere around that general area that people would recommend for food?

Also, if they were to go up early in the day, is there anything in particular worth seeing?

Thanks

Restaurants in Omagh area are fairly bleak, a good number can't even manage a 5 rating for hygiene.  Grants is the best in the town and there are no others I would take anyone to outside the town unless you just wanted a basic good feed of the same old stuff, about as good as a carry out of which Omagh has a huge number.

When you stop to think about what is worth seeing in Omagh, there is little or nothing worthwhile for the tourist. The Folk Park is great on a dry day otherwise bring a good coat and boots, remember Omagh has one of the highest rainfalls for towns in Ireland, on a par with Derry.  The Omagh bomb memorial must be one of the worst of its type anywhere in the world.  Town centre is grim with too much traffic, too little parking, too many charity shops and too many closed premises. 

The more I think about it the worse it gets from a visitor point of view.  Apart from that it is a good place to live, great schools, plenty of sporting clubs of all types, good leisure facilities and a very good place to bring up children. Just a pity we have to export them out of the area to get worthwhile, reasonably paid jobs.

Owen's from Armagh

Where history and visitor/tourist attractions are around every corner. Note that I'm still in Omagh and haven't returned to the city despite no ties to the town.