Paint a picture of an authentic and traditional Irish pub experience - and you’ll probably draw something like the scene that awaits you at The Farmer’s Home in Strabane.
A lit fire, no TVs and a bit of craic from owner John McGowan is what awaits you - before you might make your way to one of the old rooms perfect for pulling up a stool with your mates and escape to a time before wifi and smartphones.
There is debate amongst the Strabane community about when this pub first opened, with legend having it that King James stopped off for a nightcap on his way to the Siege of Derry in 1690.
However, local historian Michael Kennedy says it’s more likely that it first opened its doors in the 1870s..
“This place would be well known as the oldest hostelry in town,” Michael told MyTyrone.
“Well known outside of town as well and the interesting thing is that about 20 years ago the geological society of Ireland produced a book on family names and the outside of this building was used as the feature.
“Legend goes that King James on his way through here stopped for a bed and something to eat on the way to the Siege of Derry in 1690.
“I’m not sure that was true, I do know that he did definitely stop in Cavanacor House on the Lifford side of the river.
“But if he was here, fair play to him as he chose a good place to come.
“I can find reference to this particular business in 1895 and it belonged to a man called Thomas Quigley, who would have been my great grandfather.
“My mother’s family were descended from the Spanish Armada that sank in Kinnego Bay.
“If you go out the back, you’ll find that there’s an awful lot of farm buildings and stables, so it’s quite possible that this place was a farmhouse.”
The establishment then came into the hands of the McHenry family, and became a well-known stop off in the Co Tyrone town.
Eileen McHenry was the last of the McHenrys to own the pub and became a local celebrity after the area was flooded in 1987, appearing from a window upstairs to plead for food in front of television cameras in her best dress.
“She wouldn’t go in front of the cameras without the lipstick and the cream and the powder.
“Very interesting, in the year 1980 my wife and I came back from a wedding and arrived in here with another couple and we were sitting next door and she wouldn’t serve the two ladies.
“That was in 1980, women were not served in here by Eileen, so she was a bit of a female chauvinist.”
Fast forward to the present day, and ‘The Farmers’ is now owned by Strabane man, who says he couldn’t sit by while the pub had been closed for a number of years.
“When we bought The Farmers Home in 1997 it was closed up, there was no action here at all,” John says.
“We refurbished it by adding in furniture to the rooms that weren’t being used previously and got it opened up and it took off like a rocket.
“It’s like a time capsule where you’ve got the bar room itself then you’ve got five rooms off it.
“Young folks love it because you can go in and close the door and discuss what’s happening.”
Historian and former schoolteacher Michael says The Farmers is an ‘icon’ of Strabane and says visitors to the town are always brought in, and they must be ready to engage with those inside.
“If I have visitors coming here, this is my first port of call. I’ll always bring them here and not only will we come over here for a drink, I’ll give them a wee bit of the history.
“This, in essence, has great character.
“This is the iconic place to come and even sitting inside, it’s so small that when you come in here,you have to engage in company and conversation with your best friend or your worst enemy.”
Video: Harry Bateman
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