[2] He was educated at Saint Patrick's College, Armagh and later at Queen's University Belfast, where he was a founding member of the Glee Club together with fellow musicians such as Phil Coulter and Paul Brady.
After qualifying as an English teacher he taught at St Patrick's College, Belfast before joining the BBC in 1972 in the Schools Department and writing and presenting Today and Yesterday.
[3] His musical ability led him to produce and direct a groundbreaking Irish music programme titled As I Roved Out, a programme responsible for giving many musicians their first TV appearance; artists now well known such as Mary Black, Paul Brady, Christy Moore and others.
[4] Tony went on to direct and record many television and radio series including a programme that brought together The Chieftains and Van Morrison.
Other programmes included A Portrait of Derek Hill, In Performance, The Flight of the Earls and A Border Childhood.