He was introduced to Irish traditional music at the age of 18 when he began work as a photographic assistant for a printing machine company.

A group of his colleagues hired a car every week to drive to local fleadhs (traditional Irish music festivals) and Conneff began attending weekend jam sessions, occasionally joining the musicians in songs.

He soon mastered the bodhrán, and began playing and singing at sessions around Ireland, including in Dublin's traditional music venues.

In the early 1970s, Conneff joined Christy Moore to record what became a benchmark album, Prosperous.

Conneff has three children, Peigí, Ruairí and Ella, and lives in Hollywood, County Wicklow.