Leonard Ganley was born on 27 April 1943 in Lurgan, County Armagh, Northern Ireland and was the youngest of eleven children: four boys and seven girls.

[7] He also refereed the fastest-ever fastest maximum break, which was made by Ronnie O'Sullivan against Mick Price in the first round of the 1997 World Championship.

[10][11] He also toured countries including Singapore and Thailand with Matchroom Snooker,[1] a sporting management and promotions company run by Barry Hearn, which Davis and Taylor were signed to.

[14] Ganley declared that referee should be unobtrusive,[3] but players including Steve Davis and John Virgo felt that he enjoyed being the centre of attention.

[3][15] Although a non-drinker, Ganley appeared in a Carling Black Label beer advertisement on TV in 1984, in which he crushed the cue ball with his gloved hand in a fictional match between Terry Griffiths and John Spencer, after Spencer had knocked the ball off the table and into the groin of Ganley.

[17] Ganley was actively involved in charitable causes, including fundraising for multiple sclerosis and cancer research.

[1] As part of the Snooker Golf Society, he helped raised funds for powered wheelchairs for children.

[1][18] Ganley retired from refereeing in 1999 and moved back to Lurgan,[19][20] where he took a coaching course and taught young players cue sports.

[7] His son Mike Ganley became a Tournament Director for the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association.

[21] He was appointed as a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2000 in recognition of his charity work and for services to snooker.