County Tyrone War Memorial, Drumragh Avenue, Omagh, Co Tyrone BT78

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A freestanding granite war memorial, built 1927 to a design by R. Caulfield of Orpen, located at south of Drumragh Avenue. Rectangular on plan, facing west.

Memorial on three-stepped octagonal base. Coursed squared rock-faced granite on chamfered plinth. Apex has set back trapezoidal stone coping.

Principal (west) elevation has stop-end-chamfered corners, bas-relief laurel wreath panel at apex, bas-relief brass panel of Winged Victory with fallen soldiers over stone panel inscribed: “TO OUR GLOURIOUS DEAD / 1914-1918 / ‘THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVER MORE.'

North elevation is blank with central wall-mounted lamp.

Rear elevation is fixed with bronze panel embossed: “1939-1945.”

East is detailed as north elevation.

Setting:-
The memorial is situated in paved pedestrian park at a crossroads of Drumragh Avenue (to east) and Mountjoy Road (north-south) and Sedan Avenue (to west), with Omagh Bus Station to east; Boer War Memorial to southwest.

Roof: Stone coping.
Walling: Granite
Windows: None
RWG: None

Historical information

‘The County Tyrone War Memorial’ is located at the junction of Mountjoy Road and Drumragh Avenue in Omagh. It was built 1927 of granite to designs by R. Caulfield of Orpen (Mitchell, Vol 6, pg. 49).

The memorial base is inscribed: ‘To Our Glorious Dead. 1914 –1918. Their Name Liveth for Evermore.’ Over this inscription is a bronze panel representing an angel hovering over two dying soldiers designed by Miss Rosamond Praeger, H.R.H.A., of Holywood, Co. Down. (Ulster War Memorials). It represents the county’s 2000 dead from the First World War. (Omagh Council Website). It was unveiled on the 28th September 1927 by the Duke of Abercorn, then the Governor of Northern Ireland, who spoke: ‘To the glory of God and in proud memory of those of Tyrone who gave their lives for their King and Country in the Great War. I herewith unveil and dedicate this memorial. Their name liveth for evermore.’ (Ulster War Memorials).

The memorial originally was the eye-catcher at the end of Sedan Avenue and had its own screen wall but after Drumragh Avenue was created as a through-road to Sedan Avenue in the 1960s, the memorial was re-positioned to face the new avenue and lost its screen walls (Mitchell, Vol 7, pg. 183). Later, in the 1970s, the Boer War Memorial (HB11/12/012), formerly on High Street in front of the Assize Court House (HB22/13/001), was relocated within a short distance and can be seen from this memorial.

References:

Secondary Sources
1. Mitchell, Haldane, Ed. Images of Omagh and District. Vol. 6. Omagh: Rotary Club of Omagh, 1998.
2. Mitchell, Haldane, Ed. Images of Omagh and District. Vol. 7. Omagh: Rotary Club of Omagh, 1999.
3. Omagh Council Website. [Internet Source].
Available from: Accessed 11th February, 2009.
4. Ulster War Memorials. [Internet Source].
Available from: Accessed 11th February 2009.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
H-. Alterations detracting from building

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

A freestanding granite cenotaph war memorial, built 1927 to designs by R. Caulfield of Orpen, located on the south side of Drumragh Avenue. It was modelled on the Cenotaph erected 1919-1920 in London, designed by Sir Edward Lutyens. This memorial was originally at the end of Sedan Avenue and had its own screen wall. Though it is not an outstanding example of the type and has been relocated and, therefore, lost its original setting, it remains of historic interest as a social focus of civic remembrance to the community of Omagh.