Two Sides of a Bloody Conflict Meet in This West Belfast Walking Tour

Just a few feet into one side of the 45-foot high, 21-mile long metal wall that divides West Belfast, two men embrace as a persistent rain falls on their cheery, aged faces. Their bodies are slightly hunched under the weight of several decades of hard life. I closely observe the pair, looking for signs of tension—or hatred—as they chat.

Several decades ago they each were imprisoned for basically trying to kill each other. Not specifically, mind you. But they were committed to organizations that were diametrically, violently opposed to the other. They still are. But in more recent years, they put the guns down and picked up some curious tourists instead. Now, a group of 20 of us are battling against the typical Belfast weather—an endless barrage of cold and heavy mist—and watching with curiosity as we’ve just heard one of the men, Peader, spend 90 minutes detailing the bloodshed and horror caused by guys like Mark, the man he’s shaking hands with… Read the rest of the story on Thrillist.