Raised in County Roscommon, Buckley first played rugby with local club Creggs RFC, later moving to Athlone-based team Buccaneers.

[6][7] Buckley became part of Connacht's senior squad the following season and played more regularly for the team, starting seven matches in the 2012–13 Pro12 and making 15 appearances in the competition overall.

[8] Buckley suffered a slow start to the following season, with injuries meaning he did not make his first appearance until 29 November 2013 when he was a replacement against Edinburgh in the 2013–14 Pro12.

[10] In February 2014, Connacht's first choice loosehead prop, Brett Wilkinson, suffered a neck injury against Saracens, which ultimately forced him to retire.

[3] Although he was part of Allen Clarke's Ireland under-20 squads for both the Under-20 Six Nations and Junior World Cup in 2010,[14][15] he never made an appearance for the side.

[16] At senior level, Buckley was selected for the Emerging Ireland squad to participate in the 2015 Tbilisi Cup, again coached by Clarke.