Omagh

Omagh, the county town of Tyrone, lies close to the Sperrin Mountains, with the River Strule to the north. Playwright Brian Friel, who celebrated his 80th birthday in 2009, was born here. Sadly, it's better known as the scene of the worst atrocity of the Troubles, when an IRA bomb killed 31 people in 1998. The town has several places of worship—including a Church of Ireland church and a Catholic double-spire church. North of Omagh the country is pretty and rustic, with small farm villages.