Darcy Fernandes Monteiro, known as Darcy da Mangueira, was a prominent Brazilian composer, singer, and musician, born on August 15, 1932, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and passing away on May 19, 2008, in the same city. He was a significant figure in the samba genre, deeply rooted in the cultural landscape of Rio de Janeiro.

Darcy was born in the Tijuca neighborhood, specifically on the Morro da Formiga, and was the son of Benedito Monteiro, a founding member of the Grêmio Recreativo e Escola de Samba Unidos da Tijuca. From a young age, Darcy was immersed in the samba environment, frequenting samba schools and other related venues with his father, who was a respected sambista and director of harmony at Unidos da Tijuca.

Darcy began composing music during his primary school years and was one of the founders of the Bloco Carnavalesco Flor da Mocidade. He composed sambas-enredos for Unidos da Tijuca and was later introduced to the Ala dos Compositores of the Grêmio Recreativo e Estação Primeira de Mangueira by notable figures such as Zagaia, Pelado, and Hélio Turco.

In the 1960s, Darcy was instrumental in organizing the samba gatherings at Clube Bola Preta, which included participation from other samba luminaries like Pelado and Padeirinho. He was also a member of the group Heitor dos Prazeres e Sua Gente, where he played the pandeiro.

Darcy's compositions achieved considerable success, most notably with the samba-enredo "O mundo encantado de Monteiro Lobato," which won first place for Mangueira in the 1967 carnival. This samba was recorded by Elza Soares and became quite popular. He continued to contribute to Mangueira's success in subsequent years with other notable compositions.

Throughout his career, Darcy da Mangueira was recognized for his contributions to samba, receiving accolades such as the Medalha Pedro Ernesto from the Rio de Janeiro City Council. His legacy continued through his daughter, Deyse Monteiro, who honored his work by recording a CD of his compositions in 2011. Darcy lived for many years in the Conjunto Habitacional dos Músicos in Inhaúma, where he passed away in 2008. His death was marked by an official mourning period declared by the Mangueira samba school.