Fermanagh and Tyrone Hospital, 1 Donaghanie Road, Omagh, Co Tyrone, BT79 0NS

The Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital is a large, detached, multi-bay, three-storey former hospital building in the Elizabethan Gothic style, built between 1848 and 1853 to designs by William Farrell of Dublin, with additional wings added around 1865 to designs by George Boyd. It is now in use as a school. The building was constructed by the Irish Board of Works at a cost that eventually reached £41,407 12s 2d, and opened on 3 May 1853. The stone was transported by horse and cart from a quarry at Lack. Originally known as the Omagh District Lunatic Asylum, it was designed for 300 patients and chartered in 1848 as part of a second series of asylums built by the Irish Board of Works — institutions that were deliberately given an uplifting Gothic character, quite unlike the grim appearance of jails or workhouses. William Farrell was no stranger to institutional buildings, having also designed the courthouses at Enniskillen (1821) and Cavan (1825). The patient population reached its peak in 1959 at 1,116, making it the largest hospital of its kind outside Purdysburn.

The building has a symmetrical, linear, E-shaped plan. The principal elevation faces north and features a central double-gabled projecting entrance bay, flanked by rectangular former cell sections divided by two gabled projecting bays to the north and gabled and hipped bays to the south. There is a further single-storey canted bay to the east. L-shaped wings extend to the east and west, abutted at the south-east and south-west by further L-shaped wings added around 1865. To the rear, a central bay is connected by two rubble link blocks to additional accommodation including a gabled private chapel (built around 1865, subdivided around 1905) and flanking recreation halls (also around 1865), with further single-storey hipped halls to the left and right. A further link block to the west connects to the main building. The intermittent spaces between these elements are filled by a series of flat-roofed, single-storey rubble and roughcast extensions added around 1956 and 1970, the latter to designs by W H McAlister.

The roof is pitched natural slate with blue-black clay ridge tiles over a corbelled eaves course, raised verges on corbelled kneelers, and red brick and stone chimneys with concrete coping. Stone fire-breaks subdivide the roof at the verges. The walls are of squared-and-snecked sandstone with ashlar sandstone quoins over a projecting plinth, with diagonal buttressing with offsets. Windows are square-headed replacement uPVC casements set within original metal frames; larger windows have segmental-arched rubble voussoirs. All windows have chamfered sandstone surrounds.

The building displays well-crafted stone details throughout, including carefully worked window surrounds, carved vents, and a particularly ornate central entrance canopy. The principal north-facing elevation is symmetrical and highly articulated. Reading from left to right, it is composed of thirteen bays, many of them projecting or gabled, with a wealth of detail throughout.

Bay one (far left) is a double-gabled projecting bay. The left gable contains a central dipartite window flanked by a small window on each side at ground floor, with a double-height canted oriel window on a corbelled bracket surmounted by a trefoil oculus at the apex. The right gable contains two dipartite windows at each floor, with a replacement square-headed timber-sheeted entrance door and a single-storey flat-roofed porch of around 1970 at ground floor right. The west elevation at ground floor is abutted by a roughcast extension; the exposed section contains four windows at each floor, with a projecting gabled bay at centre containing a single window at each floor to each elevation, and two windows at each floor to the right.

Bay two contains four openings at each floor; the third opening from the left at ground floor is a replacement square-headed timber-sheeted entrance door with transom light, surmounted by a concrete canopy.

Bay three is a gabled projecting bay containing a tripartite window at each floor, surmounted by a quatrefoil vent within a lozenge panel at the apex. The east and west elevations contain a dipartite window at each floor.

Bay four contains seven windows at each floor.

Bay five is a gabled projecting bay with two dipartite windows at ground and first floor and a single tripartite window at second floor, surmounted by a louvred loophole at the apex. The east elevation contains replacement square-headed double-leaf vertically-sheeted timber entrance doors with transom light, surmounted by a dipartite window at first floor and a single window at second floor. The west elevation has a single window at ground floor, with upper floors matching the east.

Bay six contains nine windows at each floor and is abutted on the right by a tower with a crenulated parapet containing a single window at each floor. The west elevation of this tower contains a tripartite window at each floor to the left (including basement) and a Tudor-arched vertically-sheeted entrance door in a chamfered sandstone surround at ground floor right, surmounted by a single window at first floor.

Bay seven is a four-storey projecting bay and forms the centrepiece of the composition. It consists of two projecting gables with a central Tudor-arched entrance opening containing square-headed double-leaf six-panelled timber entrance doors with sidelights and transom light, surmounted by a fretted sandstone canopy with quatrefoil carvings and spandrels on corbelled brackets. There is a tripartite window at each upper floor. The left gable contains a quadripartite window at basement and ground floor, two dipartite windows at first and second floor, and a tripartite window at the third floor. The right gable has a double-height canted bay at ground and first floor, with upper floors matching the left, and a quatrefoil vent in a lozenge panel at the apex. The east and west elevations are abutted at the left by the tower; the centre contains dipartite and tripartite windows at each floor; the projecting gable to the right contains a tripartite window at ground floor and dipartite windows at upper floors.

Bay eight contains nine openings at each floor; the sixth opening from the left at ground floor is a replacement square-headed timber-panelled entrance door surmounted by a concrete canopy. A tower, matching the one described above, abuts this bay to the left.

Bay nine is a gabled projecting bay with two dipartite windows at ground and first floor and a single tripartite window at second floor, surmounted by a louvred double loophole at the apex. The east elevation contains a dipartite window at first floor and a single window at second floor; the west elevation has a dipartite window at ground floor with upper floors matching the east.

Bay ten contains seven windows at each floor.

Bay eleven is a gabled projecting bay with two dipartite windows at ground floor and tripartite windows at each upper floor, surmounted by a louvred loophole at the apex.

Bay twelve contains four windows at each floor.

Bay thirteen (far right) is a double-gabled projecting bay. The left gable contains two dipartite windows at each floor, with replacement double-leaf timber-panelled entrance doors with transom light at ground floor right and a cruciform loophole at the apex. The right gable contains a central entrance matching the left, flanked by single windows at ground floor and tripartite and dipartite windows at each upper floor, with a quatrefoil vent within a lozenge panel at the apex. The east elevation is abutted by a projecting gable containing a single window at each floor to each elevation; the exposed sections to the left contain dipartite and tripartite windows at each floor, and to the right, five windows at each floor.

The east elevation of the original building, reading from left, begins with a bay containing a central projecting chimney-breast flanked to the left by a dipartite window and to the right by a tripartite window. At ground floor right, in the re-entrant angle, is a single-storey flat-roofed extension of around 1900. To the left is a square stair-tower with pointed-arched-headed windows to each elevation, surmounted by a flat-roofed octagonal tower. The next projecting gabled bay is abutted at ground floor by a 1970 extension; the exposed section contains a tripartite window at first and second floor to the right, with replacement timber fire-escape doors at each floor to the left. The south elevation contains two dipartite windows at first and second floor, abutted at ground floor by an extension.

The east rear wing, reading from left along the east elevation, begins with a double-gabled projecting bay, each gable containing two dipartite windows at each floor surmounted by a trefoil oculus at the apex; replacement timber-panelled doors at each floor to the right lead to a fire-escape stair. The north elevation contains six windows at each floor. The next bay contains seven windows at each floor. The following projecting gabled bay has a double-height canted bay surmounted by a tripartite window at second floor. The north elevation contains three dipartite windows and a single window at each floor; the south elevation contains tripartite and dipartite windows at each floor to the left and a replacement timber fire-escape door at each floor to the right. The south elevation of the wing contains eight windows at each floor, abutted at ground floor left by a single-storey canted extension.

The west elevation of the east rear wing begins with a bay abutted on the left by a lean-to rubble link block to the annex and on the right by a two-storey flat-roofed extension. The next bay is abutted by a hipped return with a rubble link block at ground floor; the exposed section contains a single opening at each floor. The south elevation here is abutted at ground floor by a roughcast extension, and the exposed section contains four openings with brick voussoirs at each floor, with a variety of timber-framed and metal windows. The north elevation contains six sliding sash windows with brick voussoirs at each floor. The final bay is abutted at ground floor by a lean-to link block; the upper floors each contain two dipartite windows and a single window; to the right this bay is abutted by a flat-roofed three-storey extension.

The south elevation reads from left: the east rear wing abuts at bay one. The next projecting gabled bay has been extended and contains three uPVC casement windows with brick voussoirs and masonry sills at each floor; the east elevation of this bay contains a tripartite window at each floor to the right, separated from the extension to the left by a buttress with offsets, and a single window with brick voussoirs at each floor. The following bay has a central projecting chimney-breast; to the left are two dipartite windows at each floor; to the right are dipartite and tripartite windows at each floor. This bay is abutted to the right by a projecting bay containing a window at each floor, and at ground floor by a rubble link block to the recreation hall; a single-storey porch in the re-entrant angle contains a window to the south and a Tudor-arched-headed vertically-sheeted timber door to the west. The next projecting gabled bay contains two dipartite windows at each floor and a loophole at the apex; the east elevation contains a tripartite window at each floor. The following bay contains two dipartite windows at each floor. The next bay is abutted by a hipped rubble extension with brick voussoirs and quoins; this extension contains two dipartite windows (with timber mullions) and sliding sash windows at each floor, with two large sliding sash windows at each floor to the east and west elevations. The following bay has a dipartite window at each floor to the left and right; at the centre is a Tudor-arched-headed vertically-sheeted timber door flanked to the left by a dipartite window surmounted by a tripartite window at first and second floor; to the right, a hipped rubble link block connects to the rear accommodation. The entrance bay then contains five 6-over-6 sliding sash windows at each floor, divided by buttressing with offsets, and two flat-roofed dormers to the attic. The arrangement continues with bays that mirror those already described, in reverse: a bay matching the entrance bay's neighbour, one matching the hipped rubble extension bay, a bay with two dipartite windows, a gabled bay with two dipartite windows and a loophole, a bay with three dipartite windows, a bay with a central two-storey canted rubble extension abutted at centre with a dipartite window at second floor, a projecting chimney-breast to the left and a dipartite window at each floor to the right, and finally a bay abutted by a hipped rubble extension and a further two-storey hipped extension.

The west elevation is abutted to the right by the west rear wing. Reading from the left, the original building begins with a projecting gabled bay containing a tripartite window at ground floor; at the upper floors, replacement timber fire-escape doors to the left are flanked to the right by a dipartite window. The south elevation of this bay contains a pair of windows at ground floor centre surmounted by a projecting chimney-breast supported on corbels at first floor, with replacement double-leaf timber-panelled entrance doors at ground floor left and two dipartite windows at first and second floor. The next bay has a projecting chimney-breast at centre; to the left are two tripartite windows at each floor; to the right are a dipartite and a tripartite window at each floor. This bay is abutted to the right, in the re-entrant angle, by a square tower matching the one on the east elevation but surmounted by an octahedral roof; the north elevation of this tower contains a Tudor-arched timber entrance door.

The west rear wing reads from left along the west elevation. Bay one is hipped and contains eight windows at each floor, some plain glazed, some original metal casements, and some replacements. Bay two is a double-gabled projecting bay, each gable containing two dipartite windows at each floor surmounted by a trefoil oculus at the apex; replacement timber fire-escape doors are provided at each floor to the left. The north elevation contains six openings at each floor. The south elevation contains eight windows at each floor, with the rightmost being dipartite; at ground floor left it is abutted by a flat-roofed canted rubble extension.

The east elevation of the west rear wing reads from left: bay one is abutted by a flat-roofed rubble extension. Bay two is abutted by a hipped rubble return containing a single window with brick voussoirs at each floor; the south elevation contains three windows at second floor and five at first floor, all with brick voussoirs, abutted at ground floor by an extension. Bay three is abutted at ground floor by a single-storey extension and to the right by a flat-roofed extension containing two windows at each floor (with brick voussoirs at first floor); the exposed section to the left contains a window at each floor. A court is enclosed to the south and west by single-storey outbuildings. Bay four is a gabled square stair-tower containing a tripartite window at first floor, two windows at second floor, and a single window at attic level; the south and north elevations contain a window at half-landing level. There is a gabled dormer to the attic, and the base is abutted by a rubble extension.

The recreation halls to the rear (built around 1865) have steep hipped roofs, with Tudor-arched openings containing square-headed timber and metal casement windows, divided by buttresses with offsets. At the centre of the arrangement, the gabled private chapel has replacement uPVC windows and a gabled bell-cote to the north gable. All of these buildings are abutted at ground floor by link blocks and additional rubble and roughcast flat-roofed extensions and outbuildings. A rubble link block to the south-west connects to a multi-bay, single-storey former County Infirmary — known as Ward 14 — built around 1895 to designs by C A Owen (now the annex to the school occupying the main building). This building is in the style of the main hospital, abutted by a hipped return to the north and by a hall and further canted bays to the south. To the west of the main building is a further former ward, again in the style of the hospital, now converted for office use.

Historically, asylums in Ireland were established from 1817 under the Commissioner of General Control and Correspondence, initially intended as one per province plus one in Dublin. In Ulster, asylums were provided at Belfast and Armagh, the latter intended to cover Tyrone, Fermanagh, Cavan and Monaghan. In 1830 the Irish Board of Works directed that additional asylums be built and specified a high standard of uplifting design, generally Gothic in style. The Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital was one of this second series, built at an original estimated cost of £35,000. In the 1860s, George Boyd carried out extensive additions to the rear in a style similar to Farrell's original building, extending the east and west wings southward and adding a large cluster of wards including the interdenominational chapel, which was later converted into dormitories in 1904. The New County Infirmary was built in 1895 and finally finished in 1899 at a contract price of £3,265; the site was cleared using patient labour in 1896. It was used to treat male patients while still being finished during a flu outbreak in 1897 that claimed ninety-seven lives. The year after completion it was connected to the main building by a glass linking block, and in 1905 a veranda with a sunroof was added to accommodate patients with consumption — a response to the tuberculosis crisis that had led to the demolition of the old Sanitary Block after sixty-seven patients died in 1898. The boundary walls surrounding the original twenty-six-acre site date from 1848, were altered in 1855, and were extended to enclose seventy-two acres in 1873. In 1881 a carpenter's shop and smithy were added, followed in 1898 by a tailors', shoemakers' and upholsterers' shop. A concrete landing stage on the river for a ferry was added in 1914, an incinerator in 1917, and a new mortuary and dual-purpose building in 1956.

Despite the detrimental effect of replacing original windows with uPVC casements, this large-scale hospital building survives in almost original condition. Some internal subdivision has taken place, but the principal spaces remain. The building is set within extensive private grounds that include a gate lodge, a Roman Catholic Chapel, a Church of Ireland, and a concrete water tower, all of which are listed separately. Throughout the remainder of the complex there are a series of single- and two-storey rubble, brick and roughcast outbuildings dating from the late 19th century throughout the 20th century, providing supporting and additional accommodation. The complex as a whole, including its associated chapel and lodges, represents a significant phase in the history of such institutions in Ireland.