Niall Williams studied English and French Literature at University College Dublin and graduated with a MA in Modern American Literature. He moved to New York in 1980, where he married Christine Breen, his fellow student from UCD. His initial job was at Fox & Sutherland's Bookshop in Mount Kisco, opening boxes of books. He then worked as a copywriter for Avon Books in New York City.

In 1985, Williams and his wife left America to forge a life as writers in Ireland, settling in the cottage in west Clare that Chris's grandfather had left eighty years prior. Together, they have authored four books documenting their life in Co Clare. Williams's creative journey continued with his first play, THE MURPHY INITIATIVE, staged in 1991.

Williams has also been instrumental in guiding other writers, having worked with over 100 fiction authors from around the world through workshops held in Kiltumper and other locations. His upcoming novel, Time of the Child, is a compassionate tale set in the Irish town of Faha and is anticipated for release in Autumn 2024.

His literary contributions extend into film, with the adaptation of his novel FOUR LETTERS OF LOVE starring Pierce Brosnan, Gabriel Byrne, and Helena Bonham Carter, and scheduled for release in 2024. He and Christine also penned the screen treatment for Christine's novel, HER NAME IS ROSE.

Williams's recent work includes IN KILTUMPER, A Year in an Irish Garden, co-authored with Christine and published by Bloomsbury. This book offers a reflection on a year of gardening and a lifetime of writing and is their first joint project in 25 years.