Niall studied piano and composition at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. He was awarded first prize at the 1992 Dublin film festival's Music awards, chaired by English composer and critic Michael Nyman. Since then Niall has composed music for feature films, animation and many critically acclaimed and award-winning British television drama series including 'The Widower', 'Cilla' and 'Little Boy Blue'. He has received awards from the Irish Arts council, one of which included a series of seminars on film music by Ennio Morricone at the Chigiana Music school in Sienna.