17 Bowling Green, Strabane, Co Tyrone BT82 8BW

17 Bowling Green is a relatively plain three-storey terraced house of probable pre-1832 construction, situated on the southeast side of Bowling Green, Strabane. It is one of a group of four similar houses, of which only two — numbers 17 and 19 — are original survivors. The building is generally intact both internally and externally. A Blue Plaque on the front façade records the building as the birthplace of the writer Brian O'Nolan, better known by his pen name Flann O'Brien.

The asymmetrical front elevation faces northwest. On the ground floor, the entrance is positioned to the left. It retains what appears to be the original panelled door, though the face of this door has been boarded over to give it the appearance of a modern flat-panel door. Above the door is a plain rectangular fanlight. The entire doorway opening is framed by plain pilasters, with the right-hand pilaster surmounted by a decorative console bracket supporting a projecting cornice. The entrance forms a neatly symmetrical composition with the matching doorway of the adjacent house at number 19. To the right of the doorway are two identical windows, each fitted with plate-glass glazed timber sash frames set within moulded surrounds. Two similar windows appear on the first floor, with two shorter versions on the second floor. The façade is finished in painted lined render, with bevelled quoins to the right-hand edge.

The rear elevation could not be observed in full, but internal inspection revealed a large two-storey gabled return, with gables facing southwest and northeast. This return is connected to the main building by a two-storey lean-to section. The return appears to be finished largely, if not entirely, in unpainted roughcast, with asbestos tiles to the roof. The southwest gable has a window and doorway at ground-floor level and two windows to the first floor; all appear to have modern timber frames, and the doorway is fitted with a flat-panel door. The rear of the main building section also appears to be at least partly finished in unpainted roughcast, with a single window to the left-hand side of each floor, all fitted with replacement timber frames. The gabled roof is covered in asbestos tiles, and there is a rebuilt brick chimneystack at the southwest end. Rainwater goods are cast iron.

The site is shown as developed on the Ordnance Survey map of 1833–34. The valuation plan drawn up for the town of Strabane in 1832–34 has unfortunately been lost, making it difficult to trace precise details of individual buildings at that date. Reading through the valuation book itself, however, four dwellings of identical size are recorded, with dimensions of 23 feet by 26 by 27 feet, with returns of 23 by 12½ by 12 feet, which appear to match the two surviving original houses of this short terrace. These four houses were regarded by the valuers as already "not new" at the time, and were occupied by a Francis O'Brien, Colonel McAlpin, Daniel Wauchob (probably Wauchop) and William Elliott. The second valuation of 1857 retains its accompanying map, which shows the terrace much as it stood until its partial demolition in more recent years. The 1857 valuers unfortunately provide no dimensions or quality letter, making direct comparison with the 1832 entries impossible. Two points of continuity between the two valuations suggest it is nevertheless the same terrace: firstly, the immediate lessors of the properties in 1857 are listed as "the representatives of Colonel James McAlpin", apparently the same man noted as an occupant in 1832; and secondly, in both valuations two of the houses are valued slightly lower than the other two — attributed in the 1832 record to one pair lacking cellars. Neither point proves conclusively that the buildings standing in 1857, two of which survive today, were the same properties noted in 1832, but the evidence leans in that direction. The overall external appearance of the building, notwithstanding the later plate-glass sashes and flat-panel doors, can safely be classed as late Georgian in character, as can the surviving original internal detailing at number 17, particularly the staircase and the notably squat doorways with their five-panel doors. The decorative console brackets over the doorways have a somewhat Victorian feel, but these may well have been later additions.

The occupancy history of number 17 from the mid-19th century is well documented. In 1857 the house was occupied by a James Baird. In 1867 Baird was succeeded by William Ramsay, who remained until 1878, when Andrew Boyle took over, staying until 1882. Patrick Gallagher followed. By 1908, a A.K.S. McA. Robertson had become the immediate lessor for all the properties in the terrace, subletting number 17 to a Mrs Gallagher, who in turn rented it to Peter O'Connor and A.M. Cullen from 1909. In 1911, Michael O'Nolan replaced O'Connor as a resident. Brian O'Nolan, Michael O'Nolan's son, was born in this house in 1911 and later achieved fame as a writer under the pen name Flann O'Brien. John Kelly became the sole resident in 1913 and acquired the lease in 1920. Around 1935, Andrew Doherty is recorded as resident, with "the representatives of Andrew Doherty" listed between 1944 and 1959, when a Mrs Peter Gallagher became the householder. Sean Doherty was in residence between 1968 and 1970, followed by John Doherty, who remained until at least 1972. The property was vacant at the time of survey in December 2004.