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All aboard the Tattooed Lady

Wednesday, 23 July 2008

TWENTY years ago Colm Devine’s father had the idea of organising a rock and roll tour of Dublin on board a classic American tour bus.
Along with promoter Pat Egan, the pair seriously considered setting up the venture. However, for one reason or other, the project never materialised.
Fast forward to a warm July afternoon in Dublin’s Westmoreland Street and Colm is proudly standing beside the Tattooed Lady, a 26-seater red and yellow authentic 70s American tour bus.
“What do you think of the bus; she’s a beauty, isn’t she?” he says.
And he’s right. The bus is the real deal and you can just imagine Emmy Lou Harris or Lynard Skynard tumbling down from her, ready for the next gig.

“The company we sourced her from in Nashville, Tennessee, used to work with acts like Neil Young, AC/DC and more recently Green Day, so there’s a real rock and roll tradition behind the bus,” says Colm.
Dublin’s Rock and Roll and Writers’ Tour departs from Westmoreland Street daily at 10.30am, 12.30pm, 14.30pm and 18.30pm to provide an impressive audio/visual tour that runs in synch, as the bus passes through some of the city’s more interesting rock and roll and literary locations.
“We’re getting a fantastic reaction from people who have taken the tour,” states Colm.
“We seem to be attracting a 50/50 mix of tourists and Irish people,” says tour guide Andrew O’Toole.
An average tour takes 75 minutes to complete, as it explores the lives and works of some of our greatest musicians and writers.
“We really have put a lot of research and time and effort into getting the script, the audio/visuals and the locations just right,” states Andrew.
“We feel we have an authentic offering and not something just for the tourists.
“Some of the footage played on board the bus is very rare and hasn’t been widely seen before.”
Indeed, a whole world of information and little known facts quickly emerge, as the bus passes down Dublin’s quays.
Andrew quickly points out the Riverbank Theatre that was formally St Anthony’s Hall, scene of Thin Lizzy’s first gig in the city, as ‘Philo’ and the boys belt out a tune on the video screens on board the bus.
Onwards and past the Brazen Head pub, a location mentioned in many literary pieces including James Joyce’s Ulysses.
Then we go past what used to be one of Dublin’s first music halls on Fishamble Street and where Handle performed his Messiah for the first time and down through Dublin’s Docklands, an area that has become revitalised in recent years.
According to Andrew, once you reach this area the talk always turns to one band – U2.
We approach the graffiti wall at Hanover Quay always a point of interest with U2 fans.
“We really have to give credit to one man when you talk about the Docklands and that’s Harry Crosbie,” says Andrew.
“It was his energy and vision that really put the area on the map.”
A vast array of other musicians such as Van Morrison, Ronnie Drew, Sinead O’Connor, Christy Moore and the Clancy Brothers, along with numerous other references and locations are paid tribute to as the tour progresses.
“We wanted to come up with something different, something that had quality to it and we feel we have,” adds Colm.
“We get a lot of Dubs along on the tour and they really like it.
“You won’t get away with trying to fool a Dub about his native city - that won’t work!”
Tickets for the Dublin Rock and Roll Tour are priced at e15, phone 6203929 to make a booking.

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