Strabane ("the white strath"), historically spelt Straban, is a town in West Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It was the headquarters of the former Strabane District Council.
Strabane has a population of around 18,000, which is mainly Irish nationalist. It is the second-largest town in Tyrone, after Omagh. It lies on the east bank of the River Foyle and is roughly equidistant from Omagh, Derry City and Letterkenny. The River Foyle marks the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. On the other side of the river (across Lifford Bridge) is the smaller town of Lifford, which is the county town of County Donegal. The Mourne flows through the centre of the town, and meets the Finn to form the Foyle River.
The wider area surrounding Strabane has many scenic forests and glens. Angling and fishing in the River Mourne is a popular tourist pursuit, particularly between Victoria Bridge and Strabane. Golfing legend Tiger Woods fished this stretch of the river during a recent visit. The town is home to one of Ireland's largest golf courses.
The National Trust owns a Strabane shop in which John Dunlap learnt the printing trade. Dunlap went on to print the United States Declaration of Independence. The house has been visited by several famous people, including former US President Bill Clinton. It is located at the end of the Main Street.Which is now a classic cafe.
Dergalt, the ancestral home of Woodrow Wilson, 28th President of the United States, is near Strabane. On 8 May 2008 it was severely damaged by a fire.
In 2014, two Palestinian murals were painted in the town, one in the Ballycolman estate and one in the Head of the town. one mural in particular received international media attention, this was during the Israeli assault on Gaza. The murals were painted during a large pro-Palestinian campaign in which Strabane seen white line pickets, camps and protests.
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