Yellow Umbrella Tours
Discover the hidden city
Belfast Political Tour-Conflicting Stories Walking Tour
The opportunity to experience a tour of a lifetime.
Understanding Belfast's troubled history,
a political tour by Republican and Loyalist ex-political prisoners.
This is a unique opportunity to discover the real story you won't get from history books.
We invite you to hear first-hand accounts from both sides of this conflicted region, shared by people who were intimately involved in this turbulent period of modern history on this 3-hour tour.
Explore up close, on foot, the world-famous murals that depict the social, political, and cultural history of the city that earns its reputation as the largest, outdoor art gallery in the world and understand the stories behind them.
Unknown to most, modern-day Belfast remains a divided city. 26 kilometers of a physical wall, up to ten meters high in some locations separates two religious communities living side by side. For more than thirty years, the controversial time is known as "The Troubles" has had a powerful impact on the city and its residents. Very few people, if any, were unaffected by the violence that plagued the area and everyone has a story to tell.
Upon arrival, you will be met by a Republican ex-political prisoner who will take you on a guided walk along the Falls Road where the history of world-famous murals will be explained. The guides share their personal story and how the conflict affected their families and the community. Photograph the local murals and witness visible signs of his community's desire to be part of an Irish Republic.
We pass through the electronically-controlled gates leading to the predominately protestant area of The Shankill Road. We meet with either a Loyalist ex-political prisoner or an ex-member of the security forces that served during the troubles and grew up in the local area. They will accompany you through the streets of the Shankill while sharing their personal story. You will witness the determination of the locals who wish to remain part of the United Kingdom. You will have the opportunity to sign the Peace Wall, leaving your thoughts alongside those of Bill Clinton and The Dalai Lama and with the thousands of visitors to the area.
Check out NPR interview with our guides on the tour
* The recent period known as 'The Troubles' is a very contentious time and is still raw in many peoples minds and hearts, the purpose of this tour is to give the guest insight to why young men and women would voluntary involve themselves in a conflict knowing that it would ultimately lead to their imprisonment at best or potential death.
Any statements and opinions expressed on this tour by the guides are strictly their own and Belfast Free Walking Tour does not endorse any political view, the use of violence, and the promotion of any political agenda. The guides are contracted to share their own personal story of the troubles.