Omagh (Irish: an Ómaigh, meaning “the virgin plain”) is the county town of County Tyrone. It is situated where the rivers Drumragh and Camowen meet to form the Strule. The district, which is the largest in the county, has a population of 51,000. Omagh also contains the headquarters of Omagh District Council and the Western Education and Library Board. Omagh is the main retail centre for Tyrone, as well as the West of Ulster (behind Derry and Letterkenny), due to its central location. read more…
Holywood is a town and civil parish in County Down. It lies on the shore of Belfast Lough, between Belfast and Bangor. Holywood Exchange and Belfast City Airport are nearby. The town hosts an annual jazz and blues festival. The railway line from Belfast to Holywood opened in 1848, and this led to rapid development. The population of Holywood was approximately 3,500 in 1900 and had grown to 12,000 by 2001. This growth, coupled with that of other towns and villages along the coastal strip to Bangor, necessitated the construction of the Holywood Bypass in the early 1970s. Holywood today is a popular residential area and is well known for its fashionable shops, boutiques, arts and crafts. read more…
Donegal or Donegal Town (Irish: Dún na nGall, English: fort of the foreigners) is a town in County Donegal. The name was historically written in English as Dunnagall or Dunagall. read more…
Ballycastle (from Irish: Baile an Chaistil, meaning “town of the castle”) is a small town in County Antrim in Northern Ireland. It has a population of 5,000 people. It is the seat and main settlement of Moyle District Council. Overlooking the harbour there is a monument to Guglielmo Marconi whose employees made the world’s first commercial wireless telegraph transmission between Ballycastle and the East Lighthouse on Rathlin Island. Carey, Glenshesk & Tow Rivers flow down from the glens then eventually join together into one river. This is known as the Margy River which flows into the Moyle Sea at the start of The Strand. The Strand (Ballycastle Beach) has a European Blue Flag. read more…
Letterkenny (Irish: Leitir Ceanainn) is the largest and most populous town in County Donegal. Its English name is derived from the Irish name Leitir Ceanainn, meaning “Hillside of the O’Cannons” – the O’Cannons being the last of the ancient chieftains of Tír Conaill. With a population of 20,000, Letterkenny is located on the River Swilly in east Donegal. Letterkenny, along with the nearby city of Derry, forms the major economic core of the north-west of the island of Ireland. read more…
Ulster (Irish: Cúige Uladh) is one of the provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths (Irish: cúige) ruled by a rí ruirech, or “king of over-kings”. Northern Ireland is often referred to as ‘Ulster’, despite including only six of Ulster’s nine counties. This usage is most common amongst people in Northern Ireland who are unionist, although it is also used by the media throughout the United Kingdom. read more…
(Latest addition: August 2023) In irregular intervals we publish Theme Weeks about cities, regions, and countries. Here you can find the complete list. read more…
(Latest addition: August 2023) In irregular intervals we publish Theme Weeks about cities, regions, and countries. Here you can find the complete list. read more…
