Tales From The Tours
People often ask me “what makes a good tour?”, but this is inevitably from the perspective of the participant. Recently I was asked the question “what makes a good tour for a guide?” And that is a bloody good question.
Belfast & Branagh
The DC Tours phone rang on Monday, and I answered professionally and courteously as usual. Nadia, a pleasant woman with a posh London accent, quickly explained that BBC Breakfast wanted to interview me as a Belfast tour guide and historian about the Kenneth Branagh film ‘Belfast’.
Violet Gibson – The Woman from Dublin who shot Benito Mussolini
The spectre of assassination was probably not envisaged as being in the form of a mentally ill, 50-year-old Dublin woman clothed in a black shawl and armed with a rock and a revolver. This however was how Violet Gibson appeared as she shot and wounded Italian fascist dictator Benito Mussolini.
Walter Devereux, The 1st Earl of Essex. Never Shortlisted for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Sir Walter Devereux 1st Earl of Essex may not be as (in)famous as Sir Arthur Chichester, the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell or King William of Orange amongst those to visit Ireland and leave an indelible historical mark on the land, but he certainly deserves a mention.
Ruby Murray – The Heartbeat Girl from The Donegall Road
Paul Donnelly, DC Tours' lead guide (and old punk), looks back at the life of the most successful singer (from a very different era) to be born in Belfast.
The Millisle Kinder Farm
During the Second World war a derelict farm in Millisle, County Down, would become home to hundreds of Jewish refugee children fleeing the war in Europe.
Dr. William Drennan
Dr. William Drennan, a United Irishman centuries ahead of his time in many ways, comes under the microscope of our lead guide Paul Donnelly.
Donzo’s Ma, Belfast, and the ‘Swinging Sixties’…
Donzo interviews his Ma about Belfast's nightlife before the Troubles really got started...
Line Of Duty – All Aboard The Belfast Bandwagon!
Film & TV tourism is big business in Belfast these days, much to the delight of our tour guide James....
Meet The Tour Guides – James Ellson
The latest in our series of guide interviews - James explains why he became a tour guide, what he loves about the job and tells us about his favourite things to do and places to go in Belfast and beyond.
Meet The Tour Guides – Jessica Barreda
Jessica Barreda, DC Tours' native Spanish guide tells us a little about herself and how she came to be tour guiding in Belfast.
Punks ‘n’ Skins And Mods ‘n’ Rockers – Belfast In The Eighties
DC Tours lead guide Paul 'Donzo' Donnelly remembers the halcyon days of his youth as a young punk in Belfast in the eighties.