Colin was born in Manchester, England, into a very musical family. His parents are from Co.Galway and Co.Cavan. Colin started playing the fiddle and tin whistle from an early age and has made a name for himself performing and recording with an array of great musicians in Europe and the US, including such groups as Flook, Grada, Karen Casey, John Doyle, The Elders, Julie Fowlis, Tim O’Brien, The Michael McGoldrick Band, The Ashley Davis Band, Off Kilter and has been touring with the Irish traditional supergroup Lúnasa for the last 10 years.

Colin is also a noted composer whose tunes have been played and recorded by numerous bands and musicians. In 2005, Colin was awarded a Masters Degree in Music from Limerick University. Since then he has been living in Florida, and when not touring, Colin has been teaching at schools and various camps around the US and Europe and Colin and Dave Curley have been playing in Raglan Road in Disney Springs Orlando since June.