Clancy was born into a musical family in the outskirts of Milltown Malbay, County Clare.

His influences included Leo Rowsome, Séamus Ennis, John Potts, and Andy Conroy.

The Willie Clancy Summer School was established in his honour in 1973, by Clancy's friends Junior Crehan, Martin Talty, Sean Reid, Paddy Malone, Paddy McMahon, Frankie McMahon, Jimmy Ward, JC Talty, Harry Hughes, Michael O Friel, Séamus Mac Mathúna, and Muiris Ó Rócháin.

In this programme, one of a series in which major figures in contemporary traditional music, profile and pay homage to a master of their craft from a bygone age, Peter Browne traced the life and legacy of Clancy.

In 2009 The Choice Wife from The Breeze From Erin was included in Topic Records 70 year anniversary boxed set Three Score and Ten as track twelve on the third CD.