Michael Rooney comes from Co. Monaghan, Ireland. He is a music graduate of Queen's University, Belfast. Michael is an internationally recognized harpist and concertina player, as well as a tutor and producer on the Irish musical scene. He is also a well known composer of traditional Irish music in Ireland, and many of his compositions can be heard on his CD 'Ocras'. He has recorded two albums with flutist June McCormack under the name Draíocht. Michael spent three years working for Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, and produced the Comhaltas tours of Britain, Ireland and America during that time.
He is senior All-Ireland Champion on the harp and winner of the prestigious Granard and Keadue harp competitions on several occasions. He recorded with The Chieftains on their Grammy award winning CD entitled 'The Celtic Harp' and toured the US with the group. In 2006 he published a book entitled 'Harp Tunes', which contains twenty three of his compositions.