Born in 1953 in Belfast, Colin Hamilton has been known as Hammy from his early childhood. Initially a singer, drawn to traditional music through the Clancy Brothers, he began to play the flute in the mid 1970s as part of the Belfast flute renaissance.. In 1976 he moved to Cork in connection with ethnomusicological research, mainly supporting himself by busking and becoming a coalman. He later gained a Phd in the area of Commercial Recordings of Traditional Music.

In 1979 he began flute making in the West Cork Gaeltacht of Cúil Aodha, where he still lives, although largely retired from flute making.

He now divides his time between many interests including ethnomusicological research…largely successful, gardening…moderately so, and salmon fishing…not really.