Andy is known as "The Monk" due to him being a devout Buddhist. He grew up in Belfast during troubled times where his mother taught him poker. The focus he learnt from poker helped him do well at school and he went on to study law at Trinity College in Dublin. The draw of poker took over though and card rooms became his home rather than the court room.

In 1997 he entered the WSOP Main event and was sat with poker legend Stu Ungar. Ungar went on to win the main event after separating Andy from his chips. He learnt his lesson and went back the next year with a documentary crew, but instead of capturing his triumphant return they caught his defeat instead. This led to him taking a five year break from poker, where he gave away all his possessions and moved to England to live as a strict Buddhist.

2004 saw his come back in poker and in 2005 he finished 5th in the WSOP Main Event for $1,750,000. Andy got a bit of a reputation of a player who could build up big stacks and make final tables but never seemed to be able to win them. In 2008 he won the Premier League Poker II which saw an outburst of emotion on his face. With all his numerous final table appearances he has still managed to win $4,154,041 and is top of the Ireland all time money list.

-Nov '09