Born in Cork, Ireland,[3] Cagney was one of eight children in the family; he left home at age 15 because of difficulties with his father, who he described as a "remarkable man": an inventor, a musician, a welder, a mechanic, and a lecturer in electronics.
[2] He devoted quite a bit of his paycheck to visiting night clubs; when a disk jockey did not show up for work, Cagney was asked to fill in, doing well enough at it to become a regular at the pirate radio station and now had two jobs.
All the production crew, including Ciara Doherty, who was on maternity leave at the time, came in to wish Cagney good luck in his future endeavours.
When Ann died, Cagney was devastated; Audrey, who worked with him at 98 FM, provided emotional support, which turned into love.
[12][13] Cagney has been diagnosed with genetic haemochromatosis (iron overload), which, unknown to him in his early years with Ireland AM, caused him constant fatigue.