Born in Templeglantine, Co. Limerick in 1951, John Buckley studied flute and composition at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. His subsequent composition studies were in Cardiff.

He has written a diverse range of work, from solo instruments to full orchestra. The list includes numerous commissions.

John Buckley's catalogue now extends to almost 100 works, which have been performed and broadcast in more than fifty countries worldwide. His compositions have represented Ireland on five occasions at the International Rostrum of Composers and at five ISCM festivals. He has made numerous broadcasts on music and music education for RTÉ and Lyric FM.

He has been awarded both a PhD and a DMus by the National University of Ireland and is active as a lecturer on composition and music in education. He is on the staff of St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra, Dublin. His biography Constellations: The Life and Music of John Buckley by Benjamin Dwyer was published in May 2011 by Carysfort Press.