He had a long association with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, as a writer/composer for radio and television programs, but also wrote for documentaries and films.

[2] It was whilst working with the education department of the ABC, that he composed the theme song to the children's TV series Play School, in which he also sang the lyrics penned by Dr. Rosemary Milne.

[5] A fluent speaker of latin, he aspired to join the priesthood and, from 1946 and 1950, pursued theological studies in Rome.

[6] A few months before his planned ordination, however, he abandoned his studies and returned to Australia where he completed an arts degree at the University of Sydney.

In 1955, he was introduced to McAuley by Father Ted Kennedy who asked Connolly to compose hymns to sing at various points during Mass.

In 1960 Connolly's work had anchored the Living Parish hymnbook, edited by Tony Newman and published by a group gathered around Roger Pryke, which would sell one million copies over the next decade, enabling congregations to sing hymns in a distinctively Australian voice.

[citation needed] Connolly fell ill prior to his ninetieth birthday on 10 November 2017, which he celebrated with his family at Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital, but made a full recovery.