TOURS of West Belfast's two cemeteries are to be revamped later this year following a surge in interest and tourism.

Belfast City Cemetery and Milltown Cemetery on the Falls Road have become popular tourist attractions in the west of the city, due to them being the final resting place of many well known figures from Irish history.

Today, historian Tom Hartley is the main co-ordinator of tours of Belfast City Cemetery, which explore not only the famous citizens of Belfast who are buried there but also the events which shaped their lives and this city.

Local teacher and historian, Seán Fennell co-ordinates tours of Belfast City Cemetery and Milltown Cemetery in Irish. His bilingual and Irish tours focus on Belfast as an industrial city, bringing together the Titanic story, the linen mills and the work of notable philanthropists like Vere Foster, Margaret Byers and Francis Maginn.

Now, former councillor Steven Corr is also coming on board the cemetery tour scene and is preparing to start tours of Milltown Cemetery.

The three men have come together and will be launching a new co-ordinated programme of cemetery tours as part of Féile an Phobail in August.

"There has been a massive upsurge in tours in West Belfast in the last few years – especially after Covid," explained Steven. "Both these cemeteries tell so many stories of Belfast.

"Tom has been doing tours in the City Cemetery for many years now. For the last year and a half, Seán Fennell has been running tours in Irish or bilingual of both Milltown and City Cemetery.

"Now, we want to organise a coordinated structure of the tours, with Tom and Seán continuing their tours and myself taking on tours of Milltown.

"We are in the process of engaging with everyone involved at both cemeteries and the Diocese about what we want to do with a view to launching it during Féile in August.

"It is about working together. There is no point in Seán doing a tour of the City Cemetery at the same time that Tom is also doing one. I think it will be a much stronger programme of tours for everyone if we all work together.

"We want the tours to benefit the cemeteries. It shouldn't be a place you just come for a funeral or to pay respects. It is also a place to learn about the history of Belfast and its people."

Tom Hartley will also be launching a second book on the City Cemetery in August during the Féile, entitled 'More stories from the City Cemetery'.