When aged about thirty he moved to Glasgow with fiddler John Crockwell, where he married and had nine children.
O'Neill said of him: "This ideal old minstrel was a well-known figure for many years in the vicinity of the Jamaica and Albert bridges, and opposite the Queen Street Station, but instead of sitting down while playing he stood upright, resting his right leg above the knee on a short crotched stick so as to manipulate his instrument successfully.
He had the reputation of being a particularly skilful and sweet player, and Mr. Henderson, the famous bagpipe maker who made his reeds, speaks in very high terms of his capabilities as a musician.
His favorite melodies were The Coolin and The Blackbird" "Very often he was accompanied by another blind man named Smith, who played the flute, and the two were looked upon as inseparable cronies, and both were equally fond of their pint of porter, though by no means drunkards.
Kelly was at his usual stand on the Albert bridge on the Saturday evening preceding his death from pneumonia four days later."