Salvu Darmanin was a legendary għannej from Żabbar. He could be easily classed among the top three għannejja who ever sang għana tal-botta u risposta (spirtu pront) this century.

His skill in creating għana stanzas (strofi) is still talked about to this day. Salvu was fortunate enough to have had a school education when most other għannejja came from a rural background, were known to partially complete or skip primary education altogether and who focussed mostly on farming, street selling or labouring jobs. Salvu was known to have been involved in building and real estate.

The legendary tussles between him and the legendary Pawlu Seychell "l-Għannej" are still etched in the minds of għana dilettantes. These sessions happened in bars, open air places like "Il-Qajjenza" and even on Cable Radio (Rediffusion).

Salvu was born in Żabbar on the 31st of March 1905. He lived on the outskirts of Żabbar at a place called Santa Marija and died on 17 September 1976. He was the uncle of Fredu Abela "Il-Bamboċċu", himself known as one of the best għannejja in Malta.

When one talks of għana spirtu pront, Darmanin's name is always used as a measuring stick. It is said that Salvu "ir-Ruġel" started singing in public later than most għannejja in his time, but that the legend he built as a great lyrical għannej has no comparison.