Roe Byrne busking in Belfast - featured image photo 9335 by Bout Yeh photographers Belfast

Force of nature.

We have always sung in our house. Just to ourselves.

When I was 9 my mom wanted me to take up an instrument and much to my Dad’s delight I said I wanted to play the drums. So off I went to lessons every week and my Dad’s drum kit got taken out of the attic. He was delighted.

I loved the drums but after a few years I felt I couldn’t make music on my own with them. The drums had to be part of a band.

So when it came to my sisters turn to take up an instrument she chose the guitar. Intrigued, I took the guitar and taught myself two songs within two weeks.

We went to Belfast on our holidays and I went to the Family Picnic in the Oh Yeah Music Centre where I performed two songs with my guitar. I remember one of the songs I sung was Rip Tide.

I swopped the drum lessons for guitar lessons and I literally have not put my guitar down since. That was three years ago.

I love singing and playing my guitar. I practice for hours every day. It has opened up so many friends to me and it’s great to meet people who are also passionate about music.

I am a regular busker on Grafton Street. I love when the crowd stops to listen.

Dublin singer songwriter Roe Byrne - promo photo for her song Proud

Conor Marcus and Roe Byrne busking in Belfast - photo 9320 by Bout Yeh photographers Belfast

My very good friend Conor Marcus and I met through music. He comes to Dublin and we do busking sets together. People think we are brother and sister, but we are just buddies.

I was recently in Belfast for the Forestside Centre singer songwriter competition 2019. I am in the semi-finals and crossing fingers to hear if I have made it to the live finals.

Conor won this competition a few years ago and came to support me. Afterwards we went busking on Royal Avenue. We got a great crowd and we heard lots of buses beeping as people were actually out on the road trying to see us. It was a great reaction. I love busking and there is nothing better than collaborating with your friends.

I love to write songs, it helps me put my thoughts down into lyrics.

I have two notes books. One is for my completed songs and the other is for my thoughts, lines, bits and pieces of lyrics. I wrote a song last year called Proud when my Grandad died very unexpectedly, it was very therapeutic.

My most recent song is called Rough Carpet. It is about a couple struggling financially and how it is stopping them love each other.

My main influences are Paul McCartney, Fleetwood Mac, Queen, Thin Lizzy and more modern stuff too like The 1975, Shawn Mendes and Dermot Kennedy.

My very good friend Conor Marcus and I met through music. He comes to Dublin and we do busking sets together. People think we are brother and sister, but we are just buddies.

I was recently in Belfast for the Forrestside Centre singer songwriter competition 2019. I am in the semi-finals and crossing fingers to hear if I have made it to the live finals.

Conor won this competition a few years ago and came to support me.

Afterwards we went busking on Royal Avenue. We got a great crowd and we heard lots of buses beeping as people were actually out on the road trying to see us. It was a great reaction. I love busking and there is nothing better than collaborating with your friends.

I love to write songs, it helps me put my thoughts down into lyrics.

My most recent song is called Rough Carpet. It is about a couple struggling financially and how it is stopping them love each other.

My main influences are Paul McCartney, Fleetwood Mac, Queen, Thin Lizzy and more modern stuff too like the 1975, Shawn Mendes and Dermot Kennedy.