His father died while he was yet a boy, his mother remarried to Martin O'Reilly, himself a celebrated piper.
At some point, Moore emigrated to the United States, enlisting in the navy, in which he served "for quite a few years."
After leaving the navy, he settled in Brooklyn, working as a professional piper around New York City.
The night prior to departure, he visited Patsy Touhey and Patrick FitzPatrick, who noted his condition was not the best but not alarming.
O'Neill remarks of him: Moore was not particularly distinguished for brilliancy of execution on the chanter, but in the manipulation of the regulators he had few if any superiors.