Get ready to go back in time! My name is Tom and I specialise in walking you through Belfast's amazing and complex history.

Belfast is an amazing city. Many tourists are drawn to the city because of the three Ts - the Titanic, Thrones (Game of) and the Troubles, the period of civil strife that ended in 1998. My tours seek to show you a different side of Belfast's history, its maritime heritage as a port and shipbuilding centre, its fine architecture and its story as the centre of the industrial revolution in Ireland.

Originally from London, I moved to Belfast in 2014 to marry a local girl and have fallen in love with the city. People visit the city for many reasons, the food, the craic (Irish for fun, entertainment) and the culture, but what I love about Belfast's is its messy, multifaceted and magic past.

I hope to share Belfast's amazing atmosphere and hidden history with you. I want to tell you about some of the lesser known aspects of the city's past; that the first republicans who fought for an independent Ireland free of British rule were Protestant not Catholic, that Belfast was the centre of the global linen trade for a century and that the city suffered the greatest loss of life in a bombing raid during the German bombing Blitz of the Second World War.

If you are looking for a historical tour that aims to take a different perspective on the past of the city, I very much look forward to hearing from you…or better still…if I'm around and you're in town, book me!

All the best, Tom

I am a qualified professional Belfast Green Badge Tour Guide, certified to deliver walking tours in Belfast as an affiliate of the Institute of Tourist Guiding.

I am also a member of the Northern Ireland Tourist Guide Association, a professional association of tour guides in the province.

I am a published professional historian, holding a Bachelors and Doctorate in history from King's College London.
I have also been involved in a number of local history projects such as The Men Behind the Glass project at Campbell College Belfast and Epidemic Belfast, a project about the medical history of the city.

I also host and produced a weekly podcast that explores the history of the Great War.

I am currently a Tutor on Queen's University Belfast Open Learning programme, have also been an Honorary Research Associate at Ulster University and Visiting Research Associate at Queen's University Belfast.

I deliver walking tours around public areas in Belfast. Some historical sites don't permit external guides to guide on their premises (e.g. Titanic Belfast).
I am not a driver; I can accompany you in your vehicle or I can arrange for a separate car/driver.

Discover Belfast's tumultuous past on our "Belfast's Troubles Unveiled" walking tour. Explore the Troubles from two opposing west Belfast communities' unique perspectives.

Over three decades, these neighbourhoods were deeply affected by violence and strife. Journey through distinct areas: one staunchly Protestant, the other Catholic. Despite their proximity, they were worlds apart during the Troubles, with most residents leading segregated lives separated by a 30-foot-high peace wall.

Gain insight by interpreting murals, memorials, and plaques revealing each community's perspective. Unbiased, we explore both sides and trace the conflict's roots back 500 years to the English and Scottish colonisation in the 'Plantation of Ireland. '

Learn how the Troubles ended in 1998 with the Good Friday Agreement, leading to the start of peace and reconciliation. Discover stories of those involved and their impact on the city. Presented neutrally, this tour offers an introduction to Belfast's history.

Tour guide in Belfast Northern Ireland Tom T.

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