Discover Strabane: Art, Culture and Town History

The Heritage Trail combines a self-guided walking tour with industrial history; the Alley Arts and Conference Centre is a hub for art and events, while Patrick Street Graveyard offers a specific historical connection. This lets you match your travel plans to your interests before choosing a hotel stay.

Art and events

The Alley Arts and Conference Centre in Strabane includes a theatre complex, an art gallery, a visitor information centre and a conference centre. Its programme includes shows, drama, dance and comedy performances, as well as festivals. The centre offers a different focus from the self-guided Heritage Trail, which explores Strabane’s industrial heritage.

The “Let The Dance Begin Sculpture” adds a single work of art, created by Maurice Harron from stainless steel and bronze. The artist, title and materials give you specific points of reference if you are particularly interested in art. The named sculpture stands alongside the Alley’s events programme, making it distinct from performances and festivals.

Heritage Trail and industrial history

The Strabane Heritage Trail is a self-guided walking route of about 3.5 miles, or 5.5 kilometres. It explores the town’s industrial heritage, including Strabane’s important role in the local shirt-making industry. The route therefore combines exercise with a clearly defined historical theme. You can use Railway Street, by the Alley Arts and Conference Centre, as a possible starting point.

When planning, these details answer two questions: the distance indicates the length of the walk, while the shirt-making industry defines its subject matter. This lets you consider whether both the route and its theme suit your stay.

Patrick Street Graveyard

Patrick Street Graveyard is the oldest burial ground in Strabane. The oldest legible gravestone there commemorates George Home, who died in 1672. The year refers to Home’s death, not to the founding of the graveyard. This individual gravestone offers a different historical perspective from the broader industrial history covered by the Heritage Trail.

To arrange access to Patrick Street Graveyard, you can contact the Strabane Visitor Information Centre on +44 (0) 28 7138 4444. If you plan to visit the graveyard, include this contact as a separate step in your preparations. A possible starting point is given for the trail, while the different places to visit raise different practical questions.

A place to eat

Cafe Horizon serves food throughout the day, including speciality coffee, homemade traybakes and sweets, as well as lunch and snacks. The selection combines drinks and sweet treats with savoury options. If food is part of your plans, you can consider the café as an additional point of interest alongside art, events and town history.

Discover more destinations: Omagh, Castlederg, Newtownstewart

For the broader travel overview: Tyrone.