Born in Tullamore, County Offaly,[1] he won his first international medal (a silver) as a teen at the European Youth Summer Olympic Days.

Nolan ran in numerous championships, racing in over 25 countries during his thirteen-year career, though he did not perform close to his best times at major international events.

Nolan was involved in a well publicised row in 2004 when RTÉ's commentator Jerry Kiernan accused him of being a dilettante at that year's Olympics.

The controversy brought Nolan to the attention of the wider Irish public when he launched a savage attack on the pundit in response.

Nolan was appointed head of athletics by the Paralympic Council of Ireland in 2009 and is also middle distance coach at his old university UCD for 2010/11.