Learn about Northern Ireland through Belfast’s murals and street art.
In any former war zone, the conflict leaves behind physical reminders. They could be bombed out buildings, statues of the victors and memorial sites of the fallen. In Belfast, the memory of the Troubles is kept alive through sectarian street murals and a large wall dividing the historically Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods from one another.
The Belfast murals tell a very two very different stories about the history of the conflict in Northern Ireland and the sacrifices made by those involved. You can best see and hear these stories for yourself by taking a Black Cab tour of Belfast.
Taking a Black Cab tour of the Belfast Murals
Belfast is a pretty compact city. You can easily go on foot from one neighborhood to the next, and I do love exploring a city that way. However, the sectarian Belfast murals are spread between two neighborhoods that are closed off from one another. This makes a self-guided walking tour very tricky. There are also no helpful explanatory exhibits telling the story of the Troubles, so it’s best to hire out a black taxi tour and let the driver give you their unbiased tour of the Troubles.
The Belfast mural tours are supposed to be unbiased, but the conflict ended in the mid-’90’s, recollections are fresh and everyone was affected. So whoever your driver, you are going to get a filtered (and likely colorful) version of their history. Depending upon their point of view, one side was more likely to be “murderers” and the other “martyrs”. I wasn’t bothered by the lack of neutrality as it actually helped to underscore the scar tissue that still remains in Northern Ireland.
There are a bunch of different black cab tour companies and most are highly rated. It will cost ~€30 for up to three people (€9 for each person thereafter). You can check them out and book on Trip Advisor.
Sectarian Murals Tour
What follows is a visual tour of our Belfast black taxi tour. Our driver started us in the Protestant section along Shankill road, then we drove along the Cupar Way “peace wall” and into the Catholic section near Falls Court. One of the things that I found most interesting about the tour is the similarity of of styles between the two areas. I also noted that as the murals age, new messages are beginning to creep in.
Murderers and Martyrs in the Belfast Murals
There were plenty of people who died in the conflict, many of them innocent civilians. There were also plenty of aggressors perpetrating that violence including: the Republican paramilitary groups (such as the IRA), loyalist groups (such as the UVF) and British security forces (such as MI-5). During the Belfast murals tour, we saw a lot of wall space devoted to memorializing the fallen.
Fallen Protestants
Fallen Catholics
Stubbornly Clinging to the War
What shocked me was the freshly wounded sentiment in many of the murals. There is still a massive “peace wall” segregating the two neighborhoods and the gates between them still clang shut at night. That scar tissue is still fresh for some and it will take a long time for them to find peace within themselves. However, there is some hope on this front as the wall is scheduled to be dismantled.
In the Protestant Shankill neighborhood, you can still find Loyalist flags flying and messages of war.
Belfast Wall Murals Advocating Peace
But as you travel along the the “peace wall”, you will begin to see messages expressing weariness with any kind of war and a desire to keep the peace.
The term “peace wall” is a misnomer if ever there was one. The wall is 24 feet (7.6m) high, constructed of reinforced concrete, metal and barbed wire and it divides the Protestant and Catholic neighborhoods along Cupar way.
Downtown Belfast Street Art
The sectarian murals aren’t the only kind of Belfast street art. After your Black Cab tour, have your driver drop you at the Cathedral and wander the quadrant south of the church between Talbot, Waring and Hill streets. There you will find yet more street art that is edgy and political but not so sectarian. These modern murals reminded me a lot of the beautiful political street art in Buenos Aires.
Grab lunch in one of the many cafes or pubs in the neighborhood. After lunch, check out the Dark Horse on Commercial Court. Their parking lot courtyard is completely covered in a series of photo-realistic murals depicting a sexy, violent Belfast street scene. And they have a whole wall dedicated to Games of Thrones filming sites.
For more Game of Thrones, check out this post on taking an Antrim Coast road trip which will take you on a fun tour of Game of Thrones filming sites.
Both the black cab tour and the downtown Belfast street art walk won’t take you more than a half day. There is a lot more to do in Northern Ireland if you have 3-4 days, so check out this guide to disobeying Rick Steves in Northern Ireland for a suggested alternative itinerary to the area. Enjoy your time in Belfast and happy trails.
If you are also visiting London, check out the edgy street art in Shoreditch.
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Linda says
Thank you for this article! I absolutely love street art, but I also appreciate the history lesson and am glad to learn things about Northern Ireland’s history that I didn’t know. You covered the topic nicely. And you have awesome photos of beautiful murals!
Trees Rotteveel says
I have done the black taxi tour two times as it made a deep impression on me. Very interesting written this!
Carol Guttery says
I think I would do it again too. I had a more Catholic leaning driver and it would be interesting to have a more Protestant leaning driver for an alternative view
Trees Rotteveel says
You can try that indeed. Every black cab taxi driver has a different story.
Holly says
I love street art. So awesome that you found this. They tell such a historical story.
kathy (from walkaboutwanderer.com) says
I hadn’t really thought about going to Belfast but now it is absolutely on my radar. I love looking at the history of a city and along with the street art, this looks right up my street. Thanks for sharing.
Carol Guttery says
The street art lured me but I also loved our road trip to the Antrim coast
Mia Herman says
I’m a huge fan of murals and had no idea that a tour like this even existed! I’d love to do this to hear about the history of the city from a local who knows the real stories.Haven’t been to Belfast but it definitely seems like a place with an interesting background.
mags says
This is so bittersweet. These murals tell a very sad story, but are at the same time hauntingly beautiful. I will definitely check this out if I ever find myself in Belfast.
Carol Guttery says
I was surprised at how fresh the wounds were in those particular neighborhoods
Steph Be says
I found this post very informative! Thank you first of all! It is crazy to see that there is so much to be told from these morals. Not many people really understand the conflict that happened in Ireland and how many people sacrificed so much and I was able to learn more of the history from reading this post.
Carol Guttery says
Thank you for the feedback
whisperwanderlust says
The best way to understand the past is certainly to explore it, by taking a tour like the one you took. I will definitely pay that money to find out so many interesting things, next time when I will visit Ireland.I like your pictures of those fascinating murals.
Carol Guttery says
Thanks
anneharrison says
An amazing experience. Finally a generation is growing up in peace, but such an enriching and positive way to make sure people never forget. Shared xx
Carol Guttery says
Thank you for the share
RoarLoud says
Love the street art! Sounds like a great tour, interesting that the tour would be different every time depending on who you get.
ADAM DOOLITTLE says
This is a very unique tour to do and a very interesting one at that. The history of Northern Ireland is wild and it’s great that you got to experience the history through these murals on this tour.
ss200406720 says
I love Belfast, but I did not know that there was so much beautiful street art. I loved the photo of the woman holding the owl. Will have to scheduled a tour next time I am in Ireland. I think I can carve our 3/4 of a day to check out this cool street art.
Carol Guttery says
I loved that one too. It was fun to just wander around downtown and discover the street art for ourselves
Melissa Jones says
So beautifully written Carol. it’s heart breaking to think of the negative feelings that still linger today and which are so evident in the newer murals like you said. I went on the bus tour past these and the evidence of the divide is shocking (especially going through those gates). Despite this though, Belfast is one of my favourite cities, so much diverse history and the people are just so friendly. I loved exploring all the titanic history and watching the Belfast Giants, such a great place.
Carol Guttery says
It takes a long time to heal and those neighborhoods are a constant reminder. But as you say, Belfast is carrying on- we enjoyed our time there
GirlAstray says
Mostly I avoid tours at all costs, but if I go to Belfast, I would gladly pay those 30 bucks to get to listen to the personal story the driver lived! I find that to be very interesting.
Carol Guttery says
That’s how I am too- but in this instance, it really was worth it to do the tour