By 
THE rich industrial heritage of Strabane will take centre stage this evening as the Strabane History Society hosts ‘Shirt Tales,’ an evening dedicated to exploring the once-thriving linen trade of the north west.
The event, presented by historians Margaret Lee and Catherine Hamilton, will be held at 7.30pm in the Strabane Concert Band Rooms on John Wesley Street.
For more than 150 years, Strabane was home to a bustling network of linen companies, from Stapley & Smith in Barrack Street to Gallagher’s and Egans along the Derry Road.
Families throughout Strabane and Lifford made their livelihoods in the trade, enduring long days in dim and crowded factories where stitching, ironing, packaging and transporting garments formed the rhythm of daily life. While the industry has long since faded, its stories live on.
The History Society aims to capture and celebrate these memories, inviting former workers – and anyone with ties to the trade – to come along and share their experiences. The evening promises lively discussion, fond reminiscence and a chance to record an important chapter of Strabane’s past.
“Derry, like Strabane, was once at the heart of the linen industry,” the Society noted. “Now it’s time for history to tell the story.”
Admission is open to the public, and organisers expect a warm night of storytelling and community spirit as Lee and Hamilton recount the human tales behind the region’s linen legacy.
The Society also announced its next event, ‘The Newtownstewart Bank Robbery’ by Seamus McAnnaidh, scheduled for Thursday, January 29.
