A Belfast woman has turned her life-long passion for music into a walking tour of the city.
Dolores Vischer, who grew up between Belfast and Donegal, has always loved widely differing genres of music – from the vibrant Irish trad scene in Donegal, where she learned bodhran, to the thrill of raw punk gigs in Belfast’s Harp Bar in the late 1970s.
Following her recent retirement from Queen's University after almost 20 years, Dolores decided to explore her long-held dream of becoming a tour guide. Over a period of 18 months during the pandemic, she studied to become a qualified Belfast Green Badge Tourist Guide.
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One of the modules on her course was to develop a new walking tour and with her lifelong passion for music, Dolores knew what the theme of her tour had to be.
She has since set up Creative Tours Belfast to showcase her home city's arts to the world. Dolores' tours cover music, street art, historic entries and pubs, all of with are delivered with her trademark mix of facts and fun.
Speaking of her new venture, Dolores said: “Music is part of what keeps me feeling young. I’m lucky enough to have boundless energy and during festivals can be out at arts events seven nights a week!
"During the punk era, if something didn’t exist, you made it happen - and that’s what I’m doing with Creative Tours Belfast.
“Belfast has such a rich music heritage and so much talent, past and present, across all genres. From electronic to classical and punk; opera to folk and pop - and everything in between. The recent designation of the City of Music title by UNESCO makes it the perfect time for locals and visitors alike to discover more about Belfast’s musical stories.”
As well as being a keen gig goer and local music lover, Dolores enjoys singing and has performed with several choirs, as well as playing the drums and bodhran. In 1978, she even jumped up on stage in the Ulster Hall and played drums to 'Peaches' with punk legends The Stranglers.
The Belfast woman is also a member of the Girls Rock School NI team and is a member of the Over The Hill Collective.
Starting her tours off at the Ulster Hall, Dolores brings punters around some of the venues important in Belfast's musical history. Guests hear stories about some of the characters down the years who've shaped the city's music culture, and learn about some of the talented people, festivals and events taking it forward today.
The tour finishes with a visit to the city's own music hub, the Oh Yeah Centre. It includes a chance to browse their NI Music Exhibition, featuring memorabilia from Northern Ireland musicians including Snow Patrol and Stiff Little Fingers.
Guests can then settle down to enjoy a special, private performance by a local musician, often a rising star who has completed an Oh Yeah Talent Development programme.
Charlotte Dryden, Chief Executive of Oh Yeah Centre, said: "With the NI Music Exhibition and Belfast Music Bus Tour already provided by Oh Yeah, there was just one thing missing from the city’s offering - a walking tour!
"Walking around a city with someone who is both knowledgeable and entertaining is the best way to get to know a new place - or to fall in love with your home all over again. We love Dolores’ personality, energy and passion for music and are thrilled to be supporting her new venture.”
The Belfast Music Walking Tour's summer schedule kicks off on Friday, July 8, and runs two or three times a month on a Friday or Saturday. Each tour starts at Ulster Hall at 1pm and finishes at the Oh Yeah Centre at 4pm. You can find out more by clicking here.
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