Touring ‘post conflict’ Belfast

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to explore Belfast as a site of ‘dark tourism’ through a case study of Coiste which is a tour company based in West Belfast which employs former political prisoners as tour guides. These tours advertise themselves as providing an ‘authentic’ account of ‘the troubles’ through a broad republican lens. This outlook frames the narrative within which the history of Belfast is discussed by those who are considered as former ‘terrorists’ who draw on their lived experiences of taking part in violent conflict. While the example may seem as an unlikely contender for the role that tourism can play in peace transformation processes, nonetheless, the discourses on offer provide a necessary addition to mainstream tourism products which often involve sanitising the past and airbrushing history by turning it into an uncontentious, consumable tourist commodity. The paper is based on ‘walk and talk’ interviews with tour guides and Tripadvisor Reviews of these tours.