Ed Sheeran's career has been nothing short of mammoth, with the singer regularly returning to Dublin to perform to massive audiences in venues like 3Arena, Croke Park and Phoenix Park.
With a staggering fanbase and a multitude of world records under his belt it's difficult to imagine a young up and coming Ed, bright eyed and soaking up inspiration from musicians from the generation prior.
Apparently, that is exactly what happened when Ed's father took him to Dublin when he was just 13-years-old in 2004.
Read more: My Dublin: The city according to singer-songwriter Róisín O
According to Barbara Lindberg of Hotpress, Ed was wide eyed in Whelan's that summer when he got to witness Celbridge singer Damien Rice take to the stage.
The freckly red headed teen eagerly watched and listened to Damien's performance, and after the gig he got the opportunity to speak to the Irish musician. It is said that young Edward stayed up that night to write his first six songs.
Only five months after that meeting, Ed had recorded his first songs using a home unit the schoolboy received as a Christmas present.
Years later, with an impressive discography and worldwide fame under his belt, Ed reflected on his Irish musical inspirations growing up when he told Hotpress: "I was brought up on Van Morrison’s Irish Heartbeat album.
"Then there was Planxty, Christy Moore, Donal Lunny and my cousin got me into Bell X1, The Frames, Damien Rice, Mundy and Damien Dempsey. I’m really inspired by Irish music."
Ed has a clear love for Dublin and Ireland and regularly performs small intimate gigs in between his massive stadium shows. The singer is currently set to play shows at Vicar Street and Whelan's before his massive Croke Park concerts.
Read more: Hudson Taylor announce Irish tour dates and release new single
Read more: Cillian Murphy moves family to Dublin after his children develop 'very posh English accents'
Sign up to the Dublin Live Newsletter to get all the latest Dublin news straight to your inbox
