Belfast Political Conflict 3-Hour Walking Tour

This 3-hour walking tour takes you through the neighborhoods that defined Belfast's most turbulent decades, guided by people who were there. You'll walk the Falls Road with a Republican ex-political prisoner before crossing through the city's electronically-controlled gates into Shankill Road, where a Loyalist ex-combatant or former security forces member picks up the story from the other side of the divide.

What sets this tour apart is the access: these aren't historians reciting facts, but individuals who lived through the conflict as participants. You'll hear personal accounts of how The Troubles shaped daily life, alongside explanations of the political murals that line both communities' streets, painted testimonies to decades of division and identity.

The route passes through what's often described as one of the world's largest outdoor art galleries, with murals depicting the history and politics of each side. Along the way, you'll have the chance to add your own message to the Peace Wall, joining signatures left by visitors including Bill Clinton and the Dalai Lama.

The tour begins on the Falls Road, where a Republican ex-political prisoner leads you through a neighborhood marked by murals and symbols of the desire for a united Ireland. You'll hear direct, personal testimony about the conflict before passing through one of Belfast's electronically-controlled gates that once separated the two communities.

On the other side, in the predominantly Protestant Shankill Road area, a Loyalist ex-combatant or former security forces member continues the story from a different perspective, explaining the determination to remain part of the United Kingdom. Over the course of 3 hours, you'll move through streets lined with political murals, stopping to hear stories and ask questions, before reaching the Peace Wall where you can leave your own written message.