By Paddy Walsh
Back in the late nineties, the younger Daithi Ramsay established a comedy club in his home town of Letterkenny.
And on one occasion, the deadpan delivery of Kevin McAleer packed them into the upstairs function room in the Orchard Inn.
And among the audience, a suitably impressed Deirdre McBride who had just taken on her role as Director of the newly opened An Grianán Theatre.
Not just impressed with the comedian on stage but with the man who had managed to attract him there.
While still employed with the Health Board – among other posts he worked as a social worker – Daithi was continuing to stage music gigs and that comedy club.
“I just wanted to bring things to Letterkenny,” he said.
“To bring bands and acts that I liked and knew others would like as well. It was a nice distraction while I was working out what to do with the rest of my career.”
What to do with at least the next 25 years of his career came about when the theatre director approached him about taking on a role at the new entertainment venue. And so it came to pass.
Daithi Ramsay – initially believing he was coming on board for a year or two – started up as Box Office and Marketing Manager and there he’s been ever since. Until now or at least until later this month when he vacates the post to take up a new job as Creative Communities
Engagement Officer. “I’ll be based in Letterkenny as far as I know but not sure where exactly yet,” he explained.
“I’m looking forward to getting out to see the rest of the county. I’ve been in this building for 25 years,” Daithi sweeps a hand around the foyer of the An Grianán. “Now I’ll get out and about to see towns and villages throughout Donegal.
“It’s a beautiful county – why would you not want to get out in it?”
Born in England, he initially attended school in Buxton in Derbyshire before the family relocated to Letterkenny where his education pathway took him to the boys school to continue his primary schooling before venturing through the imposing gates and stratosphere of St Eunan’s College.
Drama wasn’t a particular interest of his at the time but he recalls taking part in two of the Gilbert & Sullivan operas “more to do with the fact that there were girls involved,” he admits.
“I never really wanted to be that person on stage and, in fact, I got kicked out of the chorus of one of them. I think Phil Dalton finally lost patience with me which considering the patience Phil Dalton has is quite something!”
At this Daithi acknowledges two things – firstly, that she was correct and, secondly, that Phil went on to play a significant role in the development of An Grianán Theatre. “She was fantastic for the theatre and certainly part of getting it going. I’ve immense time for her – a wonderful woman,” says the short-lived former chorus boy!
And while he did manage to secure a one-line part in ‘My Fair Lady’ as a chauffeur, he knew the stage wasn’t for him which, ultimately, was ironic given the number of performers over the years he has helped get on it.
His emergence into his role as Box Office and Marketing Manager in June 1999 coincided with the opening of Letterkenny’s new theatre.
“Same title as I have now but obviously the job has kind of changed over the years.”
Ask him about any specific stand-out performers who have graced in his time there and it doesn’t take him long to come up with some answers.
“I suppose, I have always done a bit of the booking for the theatre, the things that interest me, the comedy and some of the music. But Desmond Dekker, the Jamaican ska singer, that was an incredible gig.
“Then there was Ray Davis of The Kinks who John McIvor brought in the early days. To have such a hero of mine perform here – I spent so much of my teenage years listening to The Kinks obsessively. To have Ray Davis in the building was unbelievable. I couldn’t speak to him – the only person I’ve ever been star struck by in this building!”
“You really got me”, Daithi might have remarked to Davis had he not been so tongue tied!
Comedy has always been to the forefront of Daithi’s personal interests and he cites the likes of Tommy Tiernan, Neil Delamere, Dylan Moran, Bill Bailey, and Des Bishop as among the comedians who have entertained him royally on the An Grianán stage.
Over the course of his theatrical marketing career, Daithi has met few who you might label basically ignorant and cites the American performer Michelle Shocked in this category.
“For someone who has played the whole thing about being an ordinary working class person and we’re all in this together stuff.
“How she related to the staff in the theatre really disappointed – you don’t really get attitude out of many people in terms of bad attitude, it’s really rare. And the bigger the star, actually, the nicer they actually are. But Michelle Shocked was so disappointing.”
Comedian Jack Dee was another performer who failed to make the grade as a personality to remember except for the wrong reasons. “Off the stage he’s the same kind of person without the humour. In fairness to him, he’s not really selling himself as anything else. Comedians are really great craic off the stage but definitely not him.”
Back to the stand-out moments and Daithi points to the Perm State Ballet in the Theatre’s opening season as an “incredible experience. I’d never thought about ballet and never thought I would enjoy it but it was a memorable performance and I’ve enjoyed ballet ever since.”
Daithi is also a keen exponent of the Aerial Dance brought to the theatre every summer by Chantelle McCormack and her group and recalls the visits and the large scale productions of some of the great professional touring companies such as the Abbey and Druid Groups.
“And then there’s the likes of Little John Nee who has brought some brilliant performances here.”
Daithi sees the ever evolving world of local drama improving year by year. “There’s always been the talent in local drama groups but it’s added to now by the production values and so forth,” he said.
“There’s not many places where you get as many good drama groups as Letterkenny and the surrounding areas and I think they push each other. Friendly competition, you can call it.”
And his mind wanders back to other acts that have left an indelible impression.
“Johnny Vegas, I adored. He was so completely unpredictable and I got the job of baby-sitting him. They warned me that he could give me the slip at any time and end up in a local pub and maybe head off somewhere else. But he was a lovely guy, really charming. And he did a fantastic show.”
And the names continue to roll. Singers and musicians such as The Henry Girls and Altan; David Gray and a host more. And polished productions such as that delivered by Loch na hEala/ Swan Lake.
Meanwhile, he commences his new job on March 19 but, because of holiday time, will leave his current post tomorrow (Friday)..
“It’s starting to come real now. I’m a bit nervous – an exciting kind of nervousness, I’d have to say.”
He’s grateful to all those who he has worked with at An Grianán over the 25 years. “Great people and a great team. It was like a family and like all families there were the odd fall-outs,” he laughs.
Meanwhile, it’s exit stage left to another post that will also involve creativity and the arts – “we value them in Ireland” – while also giving him the chance to see the rest of his beloved county.
Off one treadmill and on to another.
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