Tucks West Belfast Political & Murals Tour
Description
Discover West Belfast's Political Tour with a Lifelong Local See West Belfast through the eyes of someone who was born, raised, and still proudly calls it home. This personal tour takes you beyond the guidebooks, offering an understanding insight into Belfast’s history, culture, and the legacy of the Troubles from someone who experienced it firsthand. Whether you’re visiting from elsewhere in Ireland or travelling from across the world, this tour offers a genuine, personal, and unforgettable connection to Belfast, its people, its history, and its communities. For parties of more than 7 people, please contact me for a customised quote.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Falls Road: Walk along the famous Falls Road, the heart of the Irish nationalist community, and visit my old school, St. Comgall’s, where the events of 1969 marked the beginning of the Troubles. As we explore together, I’ll share personal memories and stories that bring Belfast’s history to life in a way only a local can.
International Wall: Discover one of the world’s largest open-air art galleries, where internationally renowned murals tell the stories of Belfast’s communities, political history, resilience, and hopes for the future. You’ll also see a mural featuring my own photograph, commemorating Belfast’s first Irish cultural festival in Northern Ireland.
Shankill Road: Passing through the famous Peace Gates, we’ll enter the neighbouring Shankill Road to explore the history, traditions, and identity of the Protestant and unionist community. Visit powerful loyalist murals, memorial gardens, and hear the stories of both communities with respect, balance, and understanding.
Catholic and Protestant communities: Throughout the tour, I share an honest and impartial insight into life during the Troubles, explaining how both Catholic and Protestant communities experienced the conflict, and how the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 helped shape the peaceful Belfast we know today.
Bobby Sands Mural: The tour finishes at the world-famous Bobby Sands Mural while also visiting hidden streets, memorials, and places that reveal the resilience, strength, and spirit of Belfast and its people.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Meeting Point: Belfast, Northern Ireland Complimentary pickup is available from: Belfast Grand Central Station Belfast Cruise Terminal Any hotel or agreed location within Belfast City Centre If you’re staying outside the city centre, simply let me know when booking and I’ll do my best to arrange a convenient pickup location.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(12)
John was a very friendly local guide who shared his own experiences growing up in Belfast while also painting a fuller picture of the history and current politics of Belfast.
Thank you for the lovely review! John was delighted that you enjoyed the tour and found the mix of personal stories, history, and politics in Belfast both insightful and engaging. TucksTours ☘️
Brandon was outstanding! Authentic, sincere and genuinely felt the struggle that still exists today. Absolutely highly recommend!!!
Thank you so much — really appreciate your kind words and recommendation! TucksTours
We really enjoyed our tour with Brandon. He lived through the Troubles and had really insightful information. We enjoyed his passion and learned a lot.
Thanks for your great review—delighted you enjoyed the tour with Brendan and found it so insightful. Really appreciate it!
We were so fortunate to have Thomas as our guide. He was incredibly well informed, with a huge depth of knowledge and very passionate about the subject and the city of which he is a superb ambassador! Thank you Thomas.
Thank you for your lovely review—it was an absolute pleasure to be your guide. I’m really glad you enjoyed the tour and your time in Belfast!
The Black Taxi tour with our driver Eamon was so informative and eye opening. Eamon explained the history of how the political division between Irish Republicans for a free Ireland and loyalists for remaining part of the UK evolved into the conflict between the Protestants and the Catholics. We visited the murals, the memorial gardens, and the divided neighborhoods of Belfast. We stopped at the Peace Wall and wrote messages. And learned how the history of violence is still impacting the city today. It certainly gave a new perspective to what I thought I knew.
Thanks for your lovely review—great to hear you had such an informative and eye opening experience with Eamon. Really appreciate it!
This is a nice tour of a few of the key points of the Troubles in West Belfast. You'll see the Loyalist Shankhill Road and some of their murals and memorials, the Nationalist Falls Road and their murals and memorials, and the Peace Wall that still separates these communities to this day. The guide is a regular working-class guy who grew up in one of the contested neighborhoods at the time and can describe the experience of being forced out of your home and feeling like a second-class citizen because of the family you were born into.
Thank you for your review! I’m pleased you found the tour informative and that the stories and places gave you a real sense of Belfast’s history & culture. My goal is always to provide visitors with an authentic perspective while also showing how our city has moved forward. Best regards, TucksTours
Excellent tour around west Belfast with Thomas who, having grown up there, gave a real insight to the history of the city and its troubles. He had a real energy and enthusiasm that made for a great experience, he even took us around his old primary school which is now a community centre. If you want local knowledge, this is the tour to book.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! It was a real pleasure having you on the tour. I’m delighted you enjoyed the insight into West Belfast and appreciated the local stories – including the stop at my old primary school! Sharing that personal connection really brings the history to life. Thanks again for the kind words and recommendation. You’re always welcome back to Belfast! Best regards, Tuck’s Tours Béal Feirste ☘️
Had a very informative and enjoyable tour round belfast with someone that grew up during the time of the troubles. Cannot highly reccommend our tour guide enough. He was great and told both sides equally. Was picked up from our hotel in a lovely black car and shown most of the sights round shankhill and the falls. Ignore the 1 star review as my wife and i couldnt have hoped for a better tour and expierence.
Thank you so much for the kind words! I’m really glad you and your wife both enjoyed the tour and appreciated the balanced perspective. It was a pleasure showing you around West Belfast – you’re very welcome back anytime! Best regards, Tuck’s Tours Béal Feirste ☘️
Accepted our reservation, but the night before informed me he had another commitment . He passed us on to another driver but apparently gave the driver the wrong day. We were left stranded at our meeting spot. Tried calling operator with no answer. Finally able to reach trip advisor and they dispatched a driver. Supposed to be a Black Cab but was a standard sedan. Fortunately the sub driver was very good but late and did not have as much time as expected.
Hi my apologies for the late reply, and thank you for your feedback. When you booked with me, Im proud to be a 5-star rated TripAdvisor tour guide. My goal has always been to give every guest the best possible experience in Ireland. As my business has grown, I’ve built a small team of trusted, local Belfast guides to help meet demand. To manage this more efficiently, we’ve recently moved all bookings to a new system called Bókun. Unfortunately, on your booking, date your tour was still processed through the old system, which caused a bit of confusion — and for that, I sincerely apologise. Your tour was then assigned to one of our experienced local drivers — someone who shares the same deep knowledge and passion for Belfast’s history. Regarding the vehicle: During the conflict, there were over 400 black taxis operating across Belfast, especially along the Falls and Shankill roads. These iconic routes became a central part of the story of the conflict. Today, only around 30 of the original black taxis remain, and many tours now use modern vehicles such as Mercedes Vitos for comfort, reliability, and accessibility — while still delivering the full cultures experience. I’m sorry you didn’t get one of the older-style taxis, but I want to reassure you that you still received a genuine, locally guided Black Taxi Tour, covering all the key sites and stories that make Belfast such a unique and powerful place to visit. Thank you again for supporting a locally run, Belfast-based business, and I truly hope we’ll have the chance to welcome you back in the future. Warm regards, Thomas Tuck’s Tours Béal Feirste
Robert is absolutely amazing and very informative regarding the troubles. His personal story and experience makes this well worth it. He took pictures and videos of us engaging on the tour and sent it to us. He sent documentaries regarding the troubles.
Hi Brooke, Thanks so much for your review! We’re thrilled that Robert’s personal stories and insights into the Troubles added so much to your tour. We’re glad he could capture some great moments and send additional documentaries your way. Hope to welcome you back to Belfast soon! Warm regards, Thomas Tuck’s Tours Béal Feirste
