Belfast: IRA Conflict Private Tour, Murals & Republican Museum

Walk Belfast’s divided streets, hear stories from ex-prisoners, sign the Peace Wall, and feel the weight of history in every mural

You’ll walk Belfast’s Peace Wall with someone who lived through the conflict, see political murals up close on both sides of town, sign your name alongside thousands of others, and visit places like Milltown Cemetery and the Republican Museum that most tourists never find. Expect honest stories and moments that stick with you long after you leave.

What’s included

• Your day includes private transportation with hotel pickup and drop-off around Belfast’s key conflict sites.
• entry to Milltown Cemetery where you’ll see Bobby Sands’ resting place.
• time to handle plastic and rubber bullets once used by British forces.
• access to the Eileen Hickey Irish Republican History Museum (open 10am–2pm Tuesday to Saturday).
• plus chances to walk along Falls Road and Shankill Road for close-up views of political murals—guided throughout by someone who lived through it all.

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Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Explore Belfast IRA Conflict Sites

• Visit private museums and collections
• Travel to Falls Road and learn conflict history
• See politically charged murals by ex-POWs
• Visit both sides of the Peace Wall
• Sign name and write peace message
• Drive by biggest Peace Wall in Belfast
• Visit Loyalist Shankill Road murals
• Visit Clonard Martyrs Memorial Garden
• Visit Republican Plot in Milltown Cemetery
• Visit 2nd Battalion IRA Garden of Remembrance
• See Falls Road Hunger Strikers photographs
• Visit Eileen Hickey Irish Republican History Museum
• Photograph Bobby Sands mural
• Visit Clonard Monastery and learn Troubles role
• Visit D Company 2nd Battalion IRA Garden
• See Divis Tower and Troubles victims murals
• See Ballymurphy murals and local volunteers
• See Welcome Wall and IRA heartland

The Experience

I nearly dropped my pen when our guide — a former prisoner himself — handed me a marker at the Belfast Peace Wall and said, “Go on then, write something.” It was strange. I’d seen photos of this wall before but standing there, you can still smell spray paint from last week’s messages. The concrete felt cold under my hand. The city was quiet that morning except for a couple of kids kicking a ball behind us. Our guide told us how the wall wasn’t meant to last this long — but here it is, dividing Falls Road and Shankill after all these years.

We rode through West Belfast in an old van with plastic bullet casings rattling around in a box between the seats (I picked one up; heavier than I expected). The murals along Falls Road are massive — some angry, some mournful. Our guide pointed out faces he knew personally. There was a pause when we reached Bobby Sands’ mural. He just nodded at it and let us stand there for a minute. I didn’t expect to feel so much just looking at painted brickwork. On Shankill Road, things felt different — Union Jacks everywhere and murals of masked men staring right back at you.

The Milltown Cemetery was quieter than I thought it would be. Wet grass underfoot, red hands carved into stone. We stopped by Bobby Sands’ grave — people had left flowers and handwritten notes tucked into the headstone. Our guide shared stories about hunger strikes and funerals that turned into protests. At one point he laughed telling us about trying to explain all this to his own kids (“They just want ice cream,” he said). It made everything feel more real somehow.

The Eileen Hickey Irish Republican History Museum only opens for a few hours each day (we barely made it), but inside there were old posters, prison crafts, even letters smuggled out under watchful eyes. One of the volunteers let me hold a rubber bullet — “That’s what they used on us,” she said quietly. Walking out into the drizzle after that felt heavier than before.

Top questions

Is this IRA conflict tour suitable for children?

Yes, families are welcome; infants can ride in strollers or on laps.

Who leads this Belfast political tour?

The guides are ex-prisoners and Irish Republican activists with firsthand experience.

Can I write on the Belfast Peace Wall during the tour?

Yes, you’ll have a chance to sign your name or leave a message on the wall.

Does this tour include entry to the Irish Republican History Museum?

Yes, entry is included if visiting during opening hours (10am–2pm Tue–Sat).

Are hotel pickups included in this private tour?

Yes, round-trip hotel transfers are provided for convenience.

What areas of Belfast will I visit?

You’ll explore Falls Road, Shankill Road, Milltown Cemetery, Bombay Street, and more.

Is this tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, transportation and all sites are wheelchair accessible.

How long does this IRA conflict private tour last?

The duration varies but typically covers all main sites in half a day.