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Enniskillen is the County Town of Fermanagh, located almost exactly in the centre of the County on the natural island, which separates the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. Enniskillen is home to a population of approximately 11,500, by far the largest settlement in the county. As one would expect, Enniskillen is a retail centre for the county, and beyond, but it has yet to succumb to the blandness, which infects many modern towns. Enniskillen town centre is firmly built along the long, narrow Main St, which actually changes name six times along its length! This gives Enniskillen a real sense of bustle and life as well as imbuing the shops with their own unique character. There is no new, anonymous, development to be found on the Main Street and the established High Street Stores sit comfortably beside small independent traders, creating a special atmosphere for the place. A feature of Enniskillen, which is becoming increasingly unusual, is the number of small bars and hostelries, which appear on the Main Street, providing welcome relief from the shops!
At the centre of Enniskillen is the Town Hall, which was completed as recently as 1901. The Clock Tower here is six stories high and visible from everywhere around the area - complete with its statues marking the proud military heritage of Enniskillen. The Bandstand outside the Town Hall is used regularly through the summer and works well to add to the impression that this is a very warm and unusual retail centre. During The Troubles , the most tragic incident occurred in the town was the Remembrance Day bombing on the 8 th November 1987 when 11people were killed and hundreds injured as a result of a IRA bomb. The IRA later claimed that their target was a colour-guard of British soldiers. The Enniskillen bombing was acknowledged by many as a turning point in the Northern Ireland peace process. The town is well-populated with hotel and all other types of accommodation. Because of the tourist numbers that visit each year, there is a wide diversity of restaurant fare and quaint lively pubs with lots of old world character. The lake is the focal point for most activities and many other popular attractions are within a short driving distance.
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