Corney spent many years working as a sacristan in Saint Mary’s Church, Cockhill, Buncrana. He had a vast reservoir of songs and was no stranger to collectors. He was recorded by Raidio Éireann in the 1950s and many of his songs are to be found in the National Folklore Collection at University College Dublin. He often sang in duet with his brother Pat McDaid. Corney’s sister, Sadie McGonigle can also be heard in the Inishowen Song Project which is currently being re-edited.