Anthony O'Neill came to Australia from England in 1970 with his parent's, brothers and sisters, and started playing music at the age of 6, having been taught by his father Paddy O'Neill, who has also played music all his life, on a more casual level. Anthony first started playing the Banjo at age 8, and then progressed to a number of other instruments including the Fiddle, Guitar and Mandolin.
His first band was with Paddy, an Irish dance band called 'The Bards'.
At the age of 16 Anthony headed off, touring around NSW with a 'travelling theatre restaurant', to popular acclaim.
Upon returning to Melbourne he joined a well know Australian Folk band called 'Captain Moonlight', playing at all the major folk festivals and  recording several albums. At the same time working on musical projects with the Education department and also the festival of all nations, a Government sponsored program for multicultural music and arts.
The Bushwackers was the next stop at 19 with full time touring around Australia and playing with some of the biggest names in the Country at that time including Ted Egan, Slim Dusty, Margaret Roadnight, and Judy Small. Redgum, Bruce Woodley Tommy & Phil Emmanuel. Albert Lee (Guitarist), The Idle Diddlies, Steve Cooney.
In 1984 Anthony headed for London for 12 months and played with various artists.
Upon returning to Australia he headed of to the USA, touring and playing with another well know band called the 'Sundowners', at various trade fairs and festivals throughout America and Canada
Then came the 'Purple Dentists' a very well known Australian folk band, with 'a bit of clout' on the Melbourne folk circuit, which boosted an impressive list of guest members, from the well known English folk singer Martin Carthy to Steve Housden of the Little River band. The main core of this band was Danny Bourke, Lou McManus and Anthony.
In July 2006, Anthony again teamed up with The Bushwackers on the fiddle, to perform at the 10th Annual Australian Festival in Nashville, to sell out crowds.
Many other bands have come and gone since Tony first started playing, as well as many festivals and for the last 4 years Anthony has been playing with the 'Ploughboys'.
Anthony's prowess, particularly on the Mandolin has seen him in constant demand to play and record with numerous Australian bands over many years. He is viewed by his contemporaries as being one of the finest violin and mandolin players on the current Australian circuit and never one to rest on his rest on his laurels, it is still 'full steam ahead' for Anthony.