Daithi Rua
Daithi Rua has been a veteran performer, entertainer and songwriter for 30 years. Born into a music loving family, he spent most of his teenage years entertaining holidaymakers and locals in his parents folk group.
By the mid nineties he had begun to get a taste for touring and followed the path of many of his contemporaries to mainland Europe and beyond. He toured relentlessly around the Irish bar circuit from France to Germany, The Netherlands to Belgium, Scandinavia to The United Arab Emirates. During these vibrant musical years he began dipping into the craft of songwriting. This slowly started opening doors into a magical world where art and music collided, where he got to rub shoulders with and learn from some of the very best performers and writers on the scene at that time. He was hooked. All by the tender age of 27.
By the year 2000 Daithi had made a name for himself as an entertainer and singer. Songwriting was becoming more and more important to him and it opened many more doors within the business, he was even beginning to have some of his songs picked up by a few well known singers and bands. The scene was strong, the stage was set, the van was packed, and with his worldly possessions in tow, by September 2000 Daithi was on a Ferry to France, destination Belgium.
It’s been almost 19 years since Daithi left his native Ireland to pursue a career in music as a singer-songwriter. Since his very first concerts in Geraardsbergen town back in the nineties, Daithi continues to leave his mark on the folk and songwriter scene around Europe and Scandinavia. He has had the honour of working with some of the finest musicians and solo artists on the Belgian scene such as Eva De Roovere, URBAN TRAD, KADRIL, Philip Masure, FLING, Katja Vander Poorten to name a few…..
Today Daithi is based in the Belgian city of Ghent where he’s presently involved in several diverse musical projects such as running sound at open mic nights and various clubs such as the recently demised Brussels folk club (Daithi was resident soundman there from 2014 to 2019). He also teaches guitar to individuals and groups. Daithi Runs an Irish festival night every March in De Centrale in Ghent called ‘The Big Folk ‘n’ Irish Night’ now in it’s 4th year.
Daithi also runs ‘The Rua Room’, a home recording studio that hosts ‘Songs From The Rua Room’ a new YouTube channel dedicated to Singer-Songwriters from Belgium and beyond and which is going from strength to strength. See www.theruaroom.com
Although you probably won’t hear Daithi’s music on today’s mainstream radio, you will find his music though the regular online sites such as bandcamp.com. Luckily his songs continue to be sung and recorded by great artists. In 2015, to celebrate 25 years in the business, Daithi compiled a double album called ‘The Harvest’ (30 of his songs, recorded by 30 artists/bands from 9 countries) details of which you will find in the shop.
‘To be a bogman is a blessing. To write songs is a gift. Daithi Rua is both blessed and gifted. Congratulations on 25 years of sharing your gift’ Luka Bloom
Dream, Never Fear. Here’s to the next 30 years.