Belfast, United Kingdom
0
Tours Delivered,
Since Jan 27, 2023
3.0
Hours, Avg. response time
Guide #53099
My name is Barry and I come from Belfast - well, somebody had to! Somebody once asked me had I lived in Belfast all of my life, thankfully I am able to say, 'not yet'. I jest of course, but I want to invite you to join me on my unique tours of the city that I call home. It's a beautiful city that has a divided past, but it looks to the future with renewed vigour and confidence. I want to bring you through the sights and the sounds of Belfast, and show you the culture and creativity that made my city an industrial giant of the Victorian age. I will walk you through timeless streets and bring alive the ghosts of the past that have a tale or two to tell. I will engage, entertain and educate, while showing you the hidden gems of Belfast that only a 'mere local' can identify - so, please, feel free to contact me and I guarantee that you will experience something that little bit different which will make your visit memorable and enjoyable. But first, a little bit about myself. My passion for Belfast began when I was born in the city's maternity hospital in 1970 - when our Troubles were only five months old [the Troubles were not my fault I assure you]. That era has shaped who I am since it was a constant presence in my life and has given me the deep insight into our political, cultural and religious make-up. But there's more. I immersed myself in the long history of Belfast to try and understand how the past created our divided society and, in doing so, I came to appreciate the strange facts and the absurd realities that have shaped the Belfast of today. I have a love of Belfast, its people and its streets. Its fine buildings and proud past and I want to give you a glimpse 'over the wall' so as you will discover the stories behind the standard narrative. I want to take you back to the town in which Charles Dickens read to an enthralled audience in the Ulster Hall; to the very streets where Winston Churchill was forced to flee amid the wrath of an angry mob in 1912; and also to the very street where 1, 000 police officers were called in to escort the 'just famous' Beatles through a screaming mass of humanity in 1963 - indeed, a certain Paul McCartney has a family link to Belfast and if you scratch the surface, there are stories on every corner. I tell those stories with a passion, authority and, most importantly, an ironic and self-deprecating degree of humour. I am a Belfast Green Badge (NITGA) qualified tour guide and have published 11 books since 2007, which have concentrated on a range of historical issues related to Belfast and Ireland. I have 17 years' broadcast experience with BBC Radio Ulster, principally as a sports reporter. I have excellent communication skills and the ability to tell stories with passion, authority and a degree of humour. I am adaptable and have the personal skills to make my talks engaging, and interactive. My writing career has revolved principally around Belfast and its sporting history. However, I have acquired an in-depth knowledge of Belfast and its social and historical origins. I have a passion for Belfast, its buildings, streets parks, cemeteries and its people. I am a registered speaker for the Federation for Ulster Local Studies and have presented numerous talks on Belfast to tour groups and historical societies. Anyway, enough of the fine words and I will leave you with an anecdote. The great English writer Dr Samuel Johnson, once visited the world famous Giant's Causeway in Ireland [45 miles from Belfast and I would gladly organise a tour there if interested]. He was asked for his impressions of the attraction, to which he famously responded, "Worth seeing, yes; but not worth going to see. " Well, to paraphrase the great Johnson, I will guarantee you that my tour of Belfast will convince you that Belfast is, very much, worth seeing and very much worth going to see. Barry I am a Belfast Green Badge (NITGA) qualified tour guide and have published 11 books since 2007, which have concentrated on a range of historical issues related to Belfast and Ireland. I have 20 years' broadcast experience with BBC Radio Ulster, principally as a sports reporter. I have excellent communication skills and the ability to tell stories with passion, authority and a degree of humour. I am adaptable and have the personal skills to make my talks engaging, and interactive. I am a registered speaker for the Federation for Ulster Local Studies and have extensive tour guiding experience. None.
Belfast Northern Ireland
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(8)
Very informative, saw a lot of history, and had a few good pints.
This was an excellent tour. Barry provided great insight into the sectarian issues within Northern Ireland. He took us...
Replied from Barry F.
Super! Can't thank you enough..
We booked a tour in Belfast with Barry. We found him to be welcoming, engaging, easy-going, and very knowledgeable...
Barry was a great guide. He knows his city very well. He timed our stops perfectly to avoid the crowds. He was flexible...