Ep. 40 | Paul ‘Donzo’ Donnelly | Historian at Belfast’s Dead Centre Tours | Live from The Garrick Bar in Belfast, Northern Ireland

20 years ago, you wouldn’t be traveling to the destination for this episode. Northern Ireland – and specifically Belfast – was ground zero for a nationalist conflict known as The Troubles, a decades-long bloody conflict between Loyalists determined to defend their British heritage, and Republicans seeking a united Ireland.

But since the late 90’s, Belfast and Northern Ireland have changed, and our guest today is the perfect person to walk us through that evolving peace process. Paul ‘Donzo’ Donnelly is a history teacher by trade, but that barely scratches the surface. He’s been a mediator between Loyalist and Republican groups in Northern Ireland, working on dialogue projects between Loyalist and Republican ex-prisoners to help facilitate peace since the ceasefire.

Donzo now leads Dead Centre Tours – Belfast’s #1 walking tour – taking participants first-hand through the history of The Troubles, while including the other cultural elements that make Belfast as unique as it is edgy, from sports to punk rock.

I met up with Donzo at The Garrick Bar on my latest Europe trip, an old Victorian-style Irish pub near Belfast’s City Centre. Grab a pint of Guinness, and pull up a chair for this big conversation.

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