Private Guided Walking Tour in Derry City

Great way to learn about the city.

A big thank you to Mickey Kinsella, our tour guide for a really interesting and informative tour. He is so knowledgeable and patient with all our questions. I’ve taken many tours in Northern Ireland and recommend this for anyone visiting the city. A terrific tour with a wonderful guide.

Thank you, McCray

McCray gave us a wonderful experience in Derry. He was so knowledgeable and engaging. We had a nice, small group and McCray pointed out every detail and story behind the murals, and even pointed out his primary school. He was brilliant snd helped us to learn more about the complicated history of the beautiful city of Derry.

I Learned So Much - Impressive

The guide had actually lived through Bloody Sunday and the protests of the 60s and 70s - he was so full of first-hand accounts and stories. It was an amazing tour. Highly recommend.

Makes you want to keep learning

Macrae was a brilliant tour guide. He gives first hand accounts of events that happened while he was growing up through the troubles in Derry. We were so moved by the stories and the history and can’t thank Macrae enough for sharing these with us. He was passionate about his hopes for lasting peace in Northern Ireland and the importance of the role of women in achieving this. This tour was so good, it made us want to learn more and has started us on a path to educating ourselves more. It is a good tour length with little walking but lots of information and anecdotes. Thanks again Macrae.

A must if you visit the city

Our guide Noel was very likeable and had first hand knowledge of the harrowing events he shared with us. He even managed to keep the rain away.

Excellent insight into the Bogside

Michael was excellent in giving a real insight into a very complex political history of the area and did not hesitate in answering questions.

Excellent tour

Excellent tour of the bogside area. We appreciated the brutal honesty of our guide, explaining the 'troubles' to us, non Irish folks.

A must-do in Derry. Excellent walking tour!

An excellent walking tour! Our guide was extremely friendly and knowledgable about Derry. It was fascinating hearing the deep history of the city and the stories behind the murals. He was able to recount memories of growing up during the Troubles and answered all our questions. Me and my partner loved it.

Incredible Tour

Our host, Macrae, was so knowledgeable and shared his incredible first hand experience with us. I cannot recommend this enough for learning the history of Derry.

Bloody Sunday remembered

Paul gave such a personal insight with heartfelt passion about losing his father on Blood Sunday. Great tour and seeing the area around the Bogside was inspiring, such a tragic loss of life. Highly recommended and while you're there be sure to grab a pint at Tracy's bar...best pint of Guinness I've had.

Derry

Our guide was very interesting and amusing, he had great personal stories and gave really great information.

Super-informative and intersting

I had Mcrae all to myself for this tour and he was brilliant. Having lived through the Troubles, he was able to give me a thorough and nuanced explanation of what happened and gave me a fresh perspective. Also: he gallantly fielded ALL of my many questions!

It could of not been better!

Just like the other reviews say, superb tour. Michael is really a national treasure for Ireland. We wanted more of a political, historical and economic background than standard tours and he was fantastic. My wife and I were visiting from Seattle and enjoyed his manner and company. After the tour we walked the nice loop path around the Craigavon and Peace Bridges.

Highly recommendEd!

Highly recommend this tour! Our guide was fantastic, his personal and families experiences made it all the more thought provoking. A must when you visit Derry!

Bogside Tour - MacRae was an awesome guide

We had 4 family members participate in the Walking Tour of the Bogside and Bloody Sunday with MacRae as our guide. He was fantastic! He was knowledgeable about the local history and had lived experiences having grown up in the area at the time. He was open and answered all questions sincerely and honestly. I would totally recommend this tour and MacRae….. fabulous guide.

A must do !

Our guide was excellent and we were able to leave all the emotions they felt at the time. If you love history you have to put this tour on your list.

McRae was the best

McRae was a great guide. He lived in Derry during the troubles and was able to point out the very spots where events occurred. We learned so much and had a great walk. He also tipped us off to where we could listen to Trad music and have a great dinner.

Perfect guide

Our guide was first-class, knowledgeable, charming and committed. He was also a witness to the Troubles himself.

History through lived experiences

Fabulous guide, provided us with so much insight and very personal experiences and stories of the Troubles. We were delighted and learned so much, highly recommended!

Book it!

Absolutely fantastic tour. Not a lot walking but the main areas for the troubles of the last century in the local area are covered. I could not have asked for a better tour guide than Noel. His first hand experience coupled with honest answers to direct questions was refreshing and educational. If you're unsure, go with this tour. Plus, you save some money on entrance to the Free Derry museum, which is another must see.

Touching and Engaging

Loved this tour! An excellent storyteller, MacRae explained all the murals to us. It was very touching to learn about the various figures involved, those alive and those who had passed. He also explained their significance today. Having lived through Bloody Sunday and the aftermath, MacRae also told us what it was like in those days as a child. The tour lasted longer than the hour and ten minutes, but that is because MacRae was so generous with his time and knowledge.

Excellent insider's view

Michael has decades of lived experience in Derry's politics and history, and he provided a fascinating insider's view of Derry's history from the late 1960s to 1998 by using murals on the city's walls. Extremely knowledgeable and well-organized, he provided a context that we wouldn't have gotten otherwise. Also, he answered our questions and was attentive to us. Fantastic!

Heartfelt and passionate guide

MacRae gave us an excellent tour. His personal experience and heartfelt passion for teaching his city's history was amazing. We learned so much- THANK YOU!

A must do tour!

Learned a lot from this tour Excellent commentary by our tour guide. Learned a lot! So much history in the city of Derry! A must do tour!

Fantastic tour of Derry

Our driver and tour guide was Michael... He was brilliant and so knowledgeable. Our flight was delayed and Michael was very flexible and accommodating when trying to reschedule our tour. We couldn't have asked for a better tour guide. Would strongly recommend this tour, you will learn so much about the wonderful city of Derry. Mandy

Civil Rights and Bogside tour

The tour was really fascinating. Macrae had the right mix of history, local lore and personal experience to bring the whole situation to life. He was very patient and gave time for our questions. Highly recommend this tour whether you already know a lot about recent Derry history or just a little. Special thanks to Macrae.

Excellent Tour

An excellent tour, really informative and thought provoking. Our guide was very patient and helpful. Would highly recommend!

Excellent guide and informative tour- highly recommended

The tour was excellent- really easy to find the meeting point. The tour guide (Noel) had great knowledge and personal experience to share. I had visited Derry and done my own tour previously but really glad I booked this- significantly added to my visit by having someone explain what I was seeing. Well worth booking.

Best walking tour in Derry

Excellent, informative and thought provoking tour! Our tour guide Noel was amazing and it was heart warming to hear personal experiences of what it was like to grow up in Derry this made the tour! Noel was full of knowledge and we learnt so much about the trouble and Derry. This is a tour not to miss and the beautiful weather really helped! Thank you so much to Noel and credit to the organisation and thank you for sharing your personal experiences!

Troubles Tour

Informative and entertaining. Great insight into the events leading up to and including The Troubles. I would highly recommend.

Informative and enjoyable

Our guide was very passionate and informative. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour and learned so much. The beautiful sunny day also helped. I would definitely recommend this tour.

Very impressive tour with our guide Jimmy Toye

Jimmy told his eyewitness story of Bloody Sunday in such a way that we felt we were present there and then. Very impressive and interesting tour.

Walking tour of murals

Fascinating and informative. Michael’s knowledge of events is impressive and detailed. We learnt a lot.

Fantastic tour of Derry

So interesting. Michael was such an informed guide who enlightened us all the way along. Would highly recommend

Free Derry

Michael (Mikey) was extraordinary his explanation of the events that occurred with real world experience really brought the tour to life.

Excellent tour

Super interesting tour about the history of Derry/Londonderry. Easy walk since most of the sights and murals you see are close to each other. The guide also gave additional recommendations of places to see, eat, and drink which was really helpful. Definitely worth it to take this tour - highly recommend!

A tour not to miss

Our tour guide was Aiden. He was so interesting and made the tour so personal. I would highly recommend this tour to adults wishing to learn about the troubles.

Raw and brilliant

Gaining understanding from someone who had lived and breathed and, later, engaged in the aftermath of the “Troubles,” (if you can call it that), was both compelling and enlightening. The rawness and immediacy of traversing the streets of Londonderry with a local man fully engaged with his Republican roots was a brilliant edification. Thank you.

Guide Never Showed - No Explanation or Apology

We arrived 10 minutes early. 20 minutes after our scheduled time, we called our guide and left a voicemail. 30 minutes after our scheduled time, we left. Now 24 hours later, still no explanation or apology, and waiting to hear back about refund. Avoid.

One of the best guided tours ever had

The whole tour is well structured. The backstory of the Troubles is too big to understand, but the tour was able to present the conflicts and struggles very effectively. The tour guide is wonderful. He is well mannered and knowledgeable, and he has made the whole tour incredibly interactive and informative. In short, I will highly recommend this tour. It's the best way to know Derry.

Noel the Man, Myth, and Legend

I was lucky enough to get a 1 on 1 tour with Noel, who was so brimming with knowledge and experience of Derry history it seemed unfair mine were the only ears hearing it. The weight and inspiration of people of the Bogside couldn't have a better storyteller than Noel and I'm truly grateful for the experience he was able to provide

Must do tour

This is a must do when in Derry. Informative, insightful and enlightening. The troubles are complex and complicated to get your head around. Within an hour Michael gave us not only a tour but an overview of why the troubles started and what happened. It is a remarkable feat, to come away with a deeper understanding, a new perspective, and ultimately a real sense of optimism for Derry's future. Thank you for sharing your beautiful city and heritage with us.

Must do in Derry

Noel gave a great tour of everything. Hearing about his lived experiences growing up from surviving Bloody Sunday and his experiences brought it home.

Excellent Tour!

Michael was absolutely amazing. His knowledge of historical events in Derry—coupled with the fact he lived through most of the—meant he captivated us. Even went out of his way when I suddenly had some minor mobility issues by adapting the visit to accommodate me. Would definitely recommend this experience to anyone visiting Derry.

Bogside tour

Your taken on 02/03/2024 Brilliant tour , our guide Aden was informative , friendly and made the tour interesting.

Brilliant tour!

Such a good experience! We learnt so much and it was a highlight of our trip! We would recommend this tour to anyone visiting Derry :)

Brilliant tour with great guide

Michael the tour guide was brilliant and very knowledgeable. If you’re looking to know about the history of the city I can’t recommend this enough.

walking tour review

We had a fantastic experience with Michael on the guided tour of Derry City. It was absolutely fascinating to visit the different areas were history was made and Michael was very knowledgeable and passionate about the subject matter. We would highly recommend booking the tour as it gives you a great insight to all the struggle that Derry has seen.

Informative & worthwhile tour

Fantastic private tour around Derry city. McRae was so informative - gave a very local & personalized perspective of the complex history of the area. Couldn’t recommend enough.

Derry walk

Very imformative walk about the history of derry our host was very excellent and answered all our questions about bloody sunday