Antóin is a native of Mullahoran, Co Cavan and was taught the fiddle by Terry Smith, learning tunes by ear, and then by Sister Brigid, at Granard secondary school.

In the mid-1960s while studying at UCD, he joined musicians at different sessions in the city, CCÉ sessions, the Piper’s Club on Thomas St, and the Church St Club, where he met Mícheál O’hAlmhain, the Bergin family, Joe Liddy and Pádraig a’ Cnoic. While working for a summer in London he played with musicians such as Bobby Casey, Tommy McCarthy, Jimmy Power, Mairtín Byrnes, Dick Sherlock etc. He played in acéilí band every weekend in the Galtymore in Cricklewood. Back in Dublin, Tony began to play with many influential musician, such as John Kelly, Joe Ryan, John Egan, Matt Molloy, Tommy Peoples, The Rowsomes, Mick Hand, Michael Tubridy, the Glackins. He joined the Green Linnet Céilí Band.

Antóin is one of the few musicians to have taken the Senior All-Ireland title at the Fleadh two years in a row. In 1972 he won the Fiddler of Dooney, the Fiddler of Oriel, an tOireachtas and an tOireachtas Coirn Crotty.