[1][2] In 1966 his parents, Brian and Eithne Vallely had founded the Armagh Piper's Club, but he chose to learn the concertina instead, from the age of seven.
In 1999, he released his debut solo album, Beyond Words, and in 2003 Callan Bridge with his brother Cillian on uilleann pipes.
In 2008, he composed an electro-acoustic piece entitled "Rakish" based on the music of travelling piper Johnny Doran which was premiered at the William Kennedy Piping Festival in Armagh.
Recent commissions have included pieces for cellist Kate Ellis, Zoë Conway, and the Vanbrugh String Quartet.
It featured a diverse range of guests including brother Cillian on uilleann pipes, Zoë Conway on fiddle, Cian O’Duill on viola, Kate Ellis on cello, Neil Yates on trumpet and flugelhorn, Ed Boyd and Paul Meehan on guitars and Brian Morrissey on bodhrán, percussion and banjo.