▁of ▁successful ▁song writ ers ▁such ▁as ▁Dam ien ▁R ice ▁and ▁Dam ien ▁D emp sey . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁lead ▁guitar ist ▁of ▁the ▁rock ▁band ▁Ma ize . ▁He ▁later ▁developed ▁a ▁strong ▁interest ▁in ▁traditional ▁Irish ▁music ▁which ▁he ▁lear nt ▁through ▁record ings ▁and ▁work sh ops ▁at ▁various ▁Irish ▁music ▁festiv als . ▁ ▁F ormal ▁studies ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁F lyn n ▁began ▁formal ▁classical ▁music ▁studies ▁at ▁the ▁D IT ▁Conserv atory ▁of ▁Music ▁and ▁D rama , ▁initially ▁studying ▁classical ▁guitar ▁on ▁a ▁part - time ▁basis ▁with ▁John ▁F ee ley . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁he ▁en rolled ▁in ▁the ▁full - time ▁music ▁degree ▁course ▁at ▁the ▁Conserv atory , ▁continu ing ▁his ▁guitar ▁studies ▁with ▁F ee ley ▁while ▁major ing ▁in ▁composition . ▁Now ▁fully ▁committed ▁to ▁compos ing , ▁F lyn n ▁won ▁the ▁IM RO ▁Com position ▁Award ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁at ▁the ▁Fe is ▁Ce o il ▁in ▁Dublin ▁for ▁his ▁string ▁or chestra ▁piece ▁M esh . ▁ ▁While ▁at ▁D IT ▁he ▁co - f ounded ▁the ▁Dublin ▁Gu itar ▁Quart et ▁with ▁fellow ▁students . ▁He ▁graduated ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁at ▁which ▁time ▁he ▁left ▁the ▁Dublin ▁Gu itar ▁Quart et ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁move ▁to ▁London ▁where ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁person ▁from ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁Ireland ▁to ▁be ▁accepted ▁onto ▁the ▁master ' s ▁degree ▁in ▁Com position ▁course ▁at