A mysterious hum in Omagh, County Tyrone, appears to get louder as the town moves deeper into the nighttime. 

Local councillor Barry McElduff said the mysterious humming noise first began in late September and is “quite baffling”. 

“It sounds electrical, like a generator,” he told Moncrieff. “Not very loud but constant. 

“One lady on the Brookmount road and she said, ‘I didn’t actually hear it until I started listening out for it, and now I can’t unhear it’. 

“She compared it to the ticking of a clock – you might not hear it, but once your mind hears it for the first time, you can't unhear it.” 

Sleeplessness 'driving people mad'

Locals in Omagh have not been able to determine the source of the nocturnal hum, much to their frustration. 

“It’s a serious issue,” Cllr McElduff said. “It’s causing sleeplessness and it’s driving people mad. 

“As darkness falls, I hear it start and the later into the night it gets, the louder it gets. 

“The noise during the day might be concealed by other noises during the day, but once nighttime comes... once you hear that, you can’t unhear it.” 

The Sinn Féin councillor explained a local journalist followed the sound of the noise to find its source. 

"He thought he was getting closer, but then it disappeared,” he said. 

There is a mysterious 'constant' humming sound plaguing a Northern Irish town.

Residents in Omagh have reported hearing a strange sound that is disturbing the town, mainly at night.

Tom Dunne was joined by local Councillor, Barry McElduff to hear about the situation. pic.twitter.com/zIhtq6cDop

— NewstalkFM (@NewstalkFM) November 16, 2023

Source of the hum

Many have sent complaints to the local council, who are struggling to find the source of the Omagh hum. 

“They’re investigating but after several weeks, it hasn’t yet been established what it is,” Cllr McElduff explained. 

“Somebody talked about a ‘Twilight industry’ - somebody beginning work at night in or out of the system. 

“There's a big industrial estate in a particular direction and someone suggested it might be one of the two plants there. 

“Omagh would be famous for engineering and agrifood – big, big companies – but I don’t think it’s any of them.” 

Hard to locate

Other theories include 5G towers, “telephone pile-ons", newly installed gasworks and lorry activities as the source of the mysterious hum. 

“Given the vague nature of the complaint and the alleged extent of the noise across the area, it may be hard to locate,” Cllr McElduff said. 

“Hopefully there’s technical stuff available and the necessary will to get to the bottom of Omagh’s nocturnal hum. 

“Maybe people should come up from different parts of the country and listen out themselves.”