Belfast General Tour

Join us on a walking tour of Belfast which charts the development of the city over the past 200 years. Hear about the linen trade which led to massive business developments like Robinson & Cleavers and the granting of city status in 1888 and the subsequent construction of the City Hall our first stop on the tour. The growth of the city’s shipbuilding trade is covered where you will learn of the triumph and disaster of the Titanic. As an optional extra you can also pay a visit to the famous St Anne’s cathedral, also built to reflect Belfast’s new city status. See the Linenhall library and hear of the birth of the United Irishmen in Belfast, the forerunners of Sinn Fein. See the site where Henry Joy McCracken was hung and the site of the original Belfast castle from where the 17 th century plantation settlement of Belfast grew. Visit the new Laganside development to hear of Belfast’s modern growth. Learn about the Custom House, Harland & Wolff, the Albert Clock (the leaning tower of Belfast!), Pottingers Entry and McHughs Pub. Hear of emigration, the growth of the docks and finally see the new symbol of Belfast’s resurgence, the Waterfront Hall-all in an hour and a half!

Belfast Coach:

The coach tour incorporates all the major areas of Belfast. We take in the university area and hear about the famous Queens University campus, including its world famous alumni and the impact it has had on south Belfast. See Great Victoria Street, the home of the Europa -the worlds most bombed hotel-the Crown bar and the Opera House. Visit the Falls, the heartland of republicanism in Belfast where a whole range of political murals and monuments are discussed. See the Springfield Road, home of the Black Mountain and cross the peaceline into the loyalist Shankill Road where more images of the ‘Troubles’ can be viewed and explained. We see the famous Crumlin Road Prison, Clifton Street Workhouse, St Anne’s Cathedral, the Albert Clock and pay a visit to Queens island, site of the construction of the ill-fated Titanic. Hear the tragic stories of Belfast’s famous sporting sons George Best and Alex Higgins and see the home of Shorts, one of the world’s first plane manufacturers. View the famous Stormont buildings, home of the north’s assembly and visit the loyalist murals on the Newtonards Road where we also hear about Van Morrison and some of the city’s other famous musical talent. See the sites where linen became the dominant trade and also see north Belfast, home of James Galway, the artist John Lavery and the famous Cavehill before returning to Queens.

Belfast- a political history:

This tour concentrates on the development of the conflict in the city. Hear of the origins of the ‘troubles’ from the Norman Invasion through the plantation, the Williamite wars, the Penal laws, the United Irishmen rebellion, Act of Union, Home Rule, IRA War of Independence and partition leading to the formation of the northern state. See the Stormont parliament buildings, home to the unionist controlled government of Northern Ireland where we explain the various political initiatives attempted over the last thirty five years to resolve the political dispute here. See the loyalist Newtonards Road where we will explain the issues which affected the mainly Protestant unionist and loyalist communities during the troubles including sectarianism, loss of identity, the marching season, fragmentation, the love/hate relationship with the British security forces and changes in demography. You will also learn why the loyalist groups called a ceasefire in 1994 and the subsequent collapse of these cessations. We then visit the Falls road, the heart of republicanism in Belfast and the area where the British Army first arrived in August 1969. Hear of nationalist grievances such as gerrymandering and discrimination in employment and housing, alienation from the symbols and government of the state. Learn about the major events in republican Belfast during the conflict including the Falls Road Curfew, internment, the effect of Bloody Sunday in Derry, the 1972 & 1975 IRA ceasefires, the criminalisation of republican prisoners and the subsequent Hunger Strikes. Hear about the changes in the republican strategy including the adoption of electoralism, the reorganisation of the IRA in the late 1970’s and the evolution of the peace process including secret talks with the British government, the 1994 ceasefire, the involvement of the US government and Irish-America, the collapse of the ceasefire in 1996 and the Good Friday and St Andrews agreements. There will be ample opportunity en route to photograph the murals and monuments as well as the chance to write your own message on the Falls/Shankill peaceline. All the way you will hear lots of the black humour which characterised Belfast during the conflict.

Made in Belfast-the story of industry:

We concentrate on the growth of the industry in Belfast on this tour by firstly visiting the site of the original Belfast castle from where Belfast’s first modern trade and industry developed. We examine the history of the Custom House and Harbour Commissioners buildings which both played massive roles in the city’s development. We then cross the Lagan (home of the fishing and emigration industries) to visit Harland & Wolff’s former HQ at Queens Island where the ill-fated Titanic was constructed. We discuss the development of Shorts aircraft, manufacturers of the famous ‘Flying Shoebox’ and inventors of the world’s first ejector seats. Travelling to north Belfast we view some of the old linen mills and discuss the rise and fall of the industry as well as the severe working conditions involved in the mills. We also discuss Belfast’s other industries including the manufacture of lemonade, rope, brick, motor cars and the invention of possibly the world’s first air-conditioning unit!