Belfast: The Troubles

Tour Creator

Sean is a freelance writer, journalist and editor from County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. A former student of Queen’s University, Sean is now a part time resident of Belfast, splitting his…Read More Bio »

Belfast

GPS-directed

Remote Tour Included

2.5hrs

3km

No trip to Belfast is complete without an exploration into her sinister history. While the city and the country as a whole is now at peace, with a thriving culture and arts scene, bustling nightlife and wicked sense of humor, she still bears the scars of a brutal past.

This is a tour for those who want to better appreciate Northern Ireland, and understand how peace turned to war so dramatically, and to peace again — through reconciliation and outreach rather than oppression and surrender.

Walking through the culturally and historically rich West Belfast, through strongholds of both sides of the political divide lying just meters apart from one another, you’ll learn the story “The Troubles”, the euphemistic name given to a 30 year civil war. You’ll hear about the horrors of neighbors at war, communities burned to the ground and torn asunder, callous murders and bombings, unforgettable acts of resistance, political chaos and ultimately, the better side of the human spirit that brought and to the conflict, and fostered an environment where the people of Northern Ireland are now able to coexist in harmony.

Avoid the Crowds

Allows you to explore without having to be shoulder-to-shoulder in a large tour group

Created by an exceptional travel writer

Tour written by a travel writer from Belfast

GPS Directions

Easy-to-follow GPS directions to get you from one point to the next on your tour

Highlights include:

Bobby Sands Mural, The International Wall, and Bayardo Memorial

Remote Tour Included

As with all our tours, a remote tour is included that can be enjoyed from home

Itinerary

Belfast: The Troubles

  1. Bombay Street - In 1969, The Troubles devolved from civil disorder into incendiary violence. We’ll explore the reasons for the outbreak of armed conflict in Northern Ireland, the beliefs of each side, and how Bombay Street became embroiled in the early chaos.
  2. Bobby Sands Mural - Hunger Striker Bobby Sands remains a divisive figure in Northern Ireland, canonized by one side and lampooned by the other. At this artful wall painting, we’ll dig into his life, death, struggles and motives.
  3. Garden of Remembrance - One of many memorials throughout West Belfast, this one is a stark reminder that this was a conflict experienced and fought by civilians as well as soldiers. At this landmark, we’ll also take a look at the role of women and children in war-ridden West Belfast.
  4. The International Wall - Since its inception in 2003, the ever-changing International Wall has become an important place for politically-inclined street artists to showcase their work, attracting thousands of visitors every month.
  5. Divis Tower - We’ll study how the Divis apartment block, recognized as the worst in Europe during the conflict, played a major role in The Troubles as both an Irish Republican stronghold and a British Army lookout.
  6. Colonel John Henry Patterson’s Mural - Marking our arrival into Protestant, Loyalist West Belfast, this tribute is much more than a mere political statement. While taking a wider look at Loyalism in Northern Ireland, we’ll also learn about the incredible life of this author, explorer, man of war and hunter. You’ll also find out why this British Irish soldier became an Israeli icon!
  7. Bayardo Memorial - The scene of one of many horrific attacks of The Troubles, we’ll look into the causes, details and fallout from this bombing which took innocent lives.
  8. Court Credit Union - What does a financial establishment have to do with a civil war? Nothing much in truth, but here is the site where Frizzel’s Fish Shop, believed to be a meeting place for top ranking Loyalist paramilitaries, once was. We’ll learn of yet another callous bombing attack right here.
  9. The Peace Wall - We finish our tour at the Peace Wall, a meeting place which separated two quarreling communities. When was it built, why does it still stand to this day and what is its cultural and political significance?

Check out a free sample of this tour!

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