1967
- Born and grew up in Belfast

1989
- Graduated from Queen's University

1991
- Won The Huddersfield Festival Composition Prize.
- The Isamnion Fragments performed at The South Bank Centre, London.

1993
- Studied in Denmark with Per Norgard.

1994
- First Commission for Sonorities Festival Belfast.

1997
- Appointed Northern Arts Composing Fellow.

1998
- Hey Persephone!. Critically acclaimed opera at Almeida / Aldeburgh Festivals. Won The Arts Foundation Prize for new work

1999
- Awarded The Chester Schirmer Fulbright Fellowship for study at Princeton University.

2000
- Featured in Philharmonia Orchestra's Music of Today at the Royal Festival Hall London.
- Tribe performed at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, New York.

2001
- Unity of Being opened the UKWITHNY Festival in New York City in the first International arts event after 9/11.

2002
- Composed sound track for My Kingdom starring Richard Harris in his last major role, Sky Pictures directed by Don Boyd.

2003
- Empire States winning finalist in The UNESCO International Rostrum of Composers
- Appointed Artistic Director of spnm

2005
- The Venus Blazing Tour a CMN Tour with violinist Ernst Kovacic and Britten Sinfonia