Flaithrí & Eoghan's great great grand-father, John Neff, came to Cork from the Black Forest, Germany, about 1865, married Mary Kennedy, daughter to James Kennedy, a mariner. Not long after, John established a business on the Grand Parade, Cork, as a Watch-Maker and Jeweler producing gold and silver pocket-watches.

Their great grand-father, James, married Mary McAuliffe from Meelin in Sliabh Luachra, daughter of Florry McAuliffe, a stonecutter and monument maker.

Their grand-father, Florry, married Mary Forde, daughter of James Forde of farming stock from Ballincollig. Florry and his brothers were known in Cork city as ‘the chalky gods’ because of their business in Father Matthew Street of statue making and decorative cornices. The crucifixion on the Healy Pass on the Cork-Kerry border and many of the grottoes around Cork were made by the Neff Brothers. An amusing fact that has become well known is of the Crucifixion in Macroom graveyard with the inscription on the back ‘Executed by Neff Brothers’.

"Teaghlach" was the forerunner to "NeffBros". Teaghlach was a family affair with Muireann on concertina and bodhrán, Éibhear on mandola, Flaithrí on Uilleann pipes and whistles, and Eoghan on fiddle. {"Teaghlach" actually means "family unit of parents and children" in the Irish language}.

Flaithrí and Eoghan Neff grew up with traditional music and culture, Irish (Gaelic) was their first language. Born in Cork, Ireland, in 1978 and 1980 respectively. From their vantage point outside Cork City, in the town land of Rathpeacon, they looked out past Blarney to the rich musical heritage of the Muskerry Gaeltacht and a little further to Sliabh Luachra, and indeed further into all musical areas of Ireland, and still further beyond it's shores to other Celtic traditions. Their parents, Éibhear and Muireann, involved themselves in the music, song and dance scene in Cork with all the enthusiasm of the 1970's. Éibhear playing mandolin / mandola / highland pipes, and Muireann playing bodhrán / concertina. Éibhear’s parents were also musicians, his father played banjo / mandolin, while his mother played violin. The tradition being passed down from generation to generation.

It is easy to accept the Neff Brothers as being part of the living pulse of Irish music. Their early years were taken up with Irish Step Dancing, winning trophies and medals. However, the call of the music itself was to prove more powerful. They listened to local musicians and also to the impressive collection of traditional music record albums built up by their parents. From the beginning, Irish culture and language was nurtured in the home. Music cradled their ears and their first steps were to the rhythm of dance music.

The Neff Brothers’ musical journey began at ages eight and six. Flaithrí was attracted to the sound of the pipes and the complexities of the instrument itself. Eoghan was attracted to the sound of the fiddle and to the physical performance of the instrument.

Muireann and Éibhear, parents, put funds together to buy the best instruments available, it may have been hard but the talent shown by two young boys made it well deserved.

A young Flaithrí recalled in a radio interview by Elmarie Mawe for 96 FM's Artshouse programme, “when ever I would hear Irish music I was always attracted to the sound of the pipes. I was also taken by the complexities of the instrument itself, I thought it looked incredible. After finding out some info about them I went to classes with Tomás Ó Canainn in the Cork School of Music.”

At the same interview Eoghan remembered, “I was both attracted to the sound of the fiddle and the method of performance of the instrument in a visual context, watching the fiddle being played was exciting.  I went to traditional fiddle lessons then with Gary Cronin in the Cork School of Music.”

Both instruments were taught at Ceol-Scoil Chorcaí (the Cork School of Music), these classes had a traditional emphasis in that the teaching was mainly aural. At the age of eight Flaithrí took lessons with Tomás Ó Canainn; and at the age of six Eoghan went for fiddle lessons with Gary Cronin. However, besides these classes and music in the home they also travelled around to master classes, Fleadh Cheoils and summer schools.

Performing from a very early age at local events and festivals as well as invitations abroad, the whole family played together. They were locally known as "The Neffs", no surprise, but Muireann and Éibhear always put the talent of the boys to the fore, no surprise there either. As far back as 1994 folk music critic Paul Dromey said that Flaithrí and Eoghan Neff “are among the finest young players around” and 1997 brought comments like “we can be assured that the future of the music is safe in such young and gifted hands as those of brothers Flaithrí and Eoghan Neff ... names to note ... and each is an exceptional talent”.

Performing at the Cork Folk Festival, the organisers were quick to broadcast that Flaithrí and Eoghan were “two of our most accomplished young traditional musicians”.

Tomás Ó Canainn (traditional music lecturer, music critic, composer and musician) always admired the brothers' playing saying “The Neff Brothers, Flaithrí and Eoghan are an exceptionally gifted pair of traditional musicians. The excitement of this pipe and fiddle duo stems from their tightly controlled, virtuoso playing, of course, but the depth of traditional feeling that inspires their music is what makes them unique. As the Irish proverb says.. “It's not from the wind they got it”. Parents Muireann and Éibhear are both excellent performers in the Neff family group. Flaithrí and Eoghan are already All-Ireland champions, for whom I predict a great musical future.”

John Loesberg (Ossian Publications) organized 'unplugged gigs' and invited the Neff family (Flaithrí and Eoghan with parents Éibhear and Muireann) to perform at Tigh Filí (Cork City), in 1998, and later noted how they drew a full house, commenting “During a six month run of weekly traditional concerts at our Coffee House Gigs, we featured Irish musicians from home and abroad. To my mind one of the undisputed highlights of the gigs was the night the Neff family played to a very full house. Their musicianship, warmth and good humour comes across in an immediate and refreshingly unrehearsed way. To have a single musically gifted member in any family would be a wonderful thing, but to see two generations sharing the same platform is very special indeed. Their combined musical artistry is just fabulous.”

In 1998 Martin Claffey, Paul Dromey, and Treoir Magazine were all to say: “... the brilliant young duo ...”, “if you are a fan of traditional music, you won't be able to get enough of The Neffs ...”

In 1999, after many performances in Ireland, the Neff family received an invitation to perform at the Lorient Celtic Festival, Brittany. Newspapers reports from Ouest-France and Le Télégramme remarked: “... une nuit du folk qui a enthousiasmé 1,500 spectateurs ... toujours parfaitement équilibré et d'une technique irréprochable ... Tous deux champions d'Irlande, leurs solos, ont enthousiasmé le public ... [a night of folk that enthuses 1500 spectators ... always perfectly balanced and of an irreproachable technique ... Both are champions of Ireland, their solos have enthused the audience] ...”

After every performance at the festival, appreciative audiences expected a CD to be available from musicians of their calibre. So being invited to return the following year and with an invitation from New England College, USA, it was felt that to avoid the embarrassment of so many requests for CDs the decision was made to explore the possibility. As a painter would put brush to canvas the Neff Brothers created an original auditory experience while maintaining the richness of the Irish tradition. Relying on their own finances and with the knowledge of audiences having a real desire to take away a memento, two young musicians set about their début album which resulted in their receiving so many excellent international reviews and encouraging accolades. The by-product of an honest undertaking.

"a must have" ... "a wondrous collection of music"
"what more could you possibly want"

2000 was the year the Neff family (proudly featuring Flaithrí & Eoghan) released their début album, ‘Soundpost and Bridle’, it was self-produced and self-financed. It was just in time for their visit to New England College, USA.

During this year Muireann and Éibhear encouraged Flaithrí and Eoghan to explore their musicianship with other musicians and to use "NeffBros" (a family logo) as a name. As NeffBros they formed some great ensembles for a variety of performances both locally and abroad.

The brothers are critically acclaimed wherever they perform. “Another little Cork secret has been unleashed on an unsuspecting world ... Cork has produced quite a few notable musical families and their latest ambassadors are a worthy addition to this distinguished list ...” Irish Music Magazine, John O'Regan.

“ ... un groupe qui prouve l'immense savoir ... dans une matière où ils excellent depuis toujours: la musique traditionnelle ... Et ce talent indéniable qu'ils expriment du haut ... [a group which illustrates the immense knowledge ... in an area where they have always excelled: traditional music ... And this undeniable talent that they express from great heights] ...” Celtics Magazine.