DUBLIN born and of DUBLIN parents both of whom had musical backgrounds - my father was a double bass player and my mother a singer from a great singing family. Coming from PHIBSBORO our family GP was a Dr MOYNIHAN whose son was none other than JOHNNY MOYNIHAN and our local hero.

SWEENEYS MEN was my first introduction into IRISH FOLK MUSIC and surprisingly enough the instruments involved were the mandolin, bouzouiki and guitar. Around the same time I was to hear the music of O RIAIDA and his arrangements of the music of O CAROLAN. The melodic nature of this music along with its baroque influences was something I felt comfortable with. Soon I was to hear the music of PLANXTY with its intricate arrangements and harmonies between mandolin and bouzouki which led me to take up the mandolin.

During the period of the 70s I was to meet Shannon man PAT CASSIDY who was a concertina player, flute player and harpist and who also had an interest in the music of O CAROLAN. With our mutual interests we formed a band playing jigs and reels and some arrangements of O CAROLAN music. PAT was to later go on to launch a CD of his arrangements of O CAROLAN music, and to compose his beautiful "CHILDREN OF LIR" suite.

In 1981 I joined a band called DAL gCAIS and it's there I met another harpist called NOREEN O DONOGHUE, a gifted player, and a friendship was struck up and one I shall always treasure. The founder member of the band was DARRAGH DE BRUN a whistle player and piper and a fine composer who possibly got me started into composition.

During the 80s I was to play with various musicians and singers playing sessions, gigs and concerts at home and abroad, working on arrangements and composition. In 1986 I was asked to arrrange some music for the wedding of JIM and MARGARET AUGHNEY and in induced enthusiasm I decided to compose the mass. Working with NOREEN we completed the project. At this stage I had begun to compose more tunes.

In 1990 some CLARE musicians had got together to do a recording and had asked NOREEN and myself to do some work on it. The album was called "OUT IN THE NIGHT" and we called ourselves "FISHER STREET". While gigging with FISHER STREET I continued composing tunes and working along with NOREEN and later with TIMMY MURRAY, founder of the band "CIAN", till it was decided to record the CD joined by friends old and new, influences of the past and present. The emotions people have brought to me both happy and sad have culminated together to become my debut album "AND ALL POINTS WEST".

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