[2] His family were Irish Travellers originally from County Wexford, where his father was a fiddle player.
[3] In Parley-poet and Chanter, an autobiography transcribed by Micheál Ó hAodha (page 21), he stated that he later lived in the Dublin suburb of Drimnagh.
He was one of Ireland's most noted banjo players and was also proficient on the fiddle, melodeon and guitar, and was among an elite of Traveller musicians.
[4] Dunne became known to a wide Irish audience from his regular busking at GAA sporting fixtures, particularly in Munster.
He also performed alongside Richard Harris and Stephen Rea in the 1996 feature film Trojan Eddie.