Strabane Lifford Development Commission is a cross-border body in Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

, to develop cultural and economic development ties between Strabane

Strabane

Strabane , historically spelt Straban,is a town in west County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It contains the headquarters of Strabane District Council....

 in County Tyrone

County Tyrone

Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...

, Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

 and Lifford

Lifford

Lifford is the county town of County Donegal, Ireland. It is the administrative capital of the county and the seat of Donegal County Council, although the town of Letterkenny is often mistaken for fulfilling this role...

 in County Donegal

County Donegal

County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...

, Republic of Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

, just across the border marked by the River Foyle

River Foyle

The River Foyle is a river in west Ulster in the northwest of Ireland, which flows from the confluence of the rivers Finn and Mourne at the towns of Lifford in County Donegal, Republic of Ireland, and Strabane in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. From here it flows to the City of Derry, where it...

.

In June 2006 the Strabane Lifford Development Commission awarded a £1.3m cross-border waterways restoration contract to Doran Consulting

Doran Consulting

Doran Consulting is an engineering consultancy based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1953, became a partnership in 1972 and from 1 June 2005 was incorporated to form Doran Consulting Limited. It employs about 90 people and has regional offices in England and Scotland...

 of Belfast

Belfast

Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...

. The project was launched by President of Ireland

President of Ireland

The President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...

, Mary McAleese

Mary McAleese

Mary Patricia McAleese served as the eighth President of Ireland from 1997 to 2011. She was the second female president and was first elected in 1997 succeeding Mary Robinson, making McAleese the world's first woman to succeed another as president. She was re-elected unopposed for a second term in...

, in Lifford and involves the restoration of one and a half miles of the Strabane Canal

Strabane Canal

Strabane Canal is a canal in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. In 1791 an Act was passed authorising the construction of a 6.4 km canal from the tidal waters of Lough Foyle at Leck, some 16 km upstream from Derry, to Strabane. It only had two locks, called 'Crampsies' and 'Devines'...

 and two locks to working order. Work is due to start on the Lough Foyle side of the canal in the summer of 2006.

In 2000 a sculpture

Sculpture

Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...

 group was erected at the border between Strabane and Lifford, close to the Lifford Bridge

Lifford Bridge

Lifford Bridge is a cross-border bridge on the N15 - A38 road, spanning the River Foyle which marks the border between Strabane in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, and Lifford in County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland....

 by Strabane Lifford Development Commission. It had been created by Maurice Harron

Maurice Harron

Maurice Harron is a sculptor, born in 1946 in Derry, Northern Ireland, where he grew up. He studied sculpture at the Ulster College of Art and Design in Belfast....

and consists of 5 figures (a fiddler, a flautist, a drummer and two dancers) each 4 metres high, made of stainless steel and bronze and symbolising Music and Dance, two unifying art forms, representing a shared beginning for both communities, North and South.