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A fair-haired, amiable young Irishman who was nearly blind, he was 5 feet 6 inches tall, fair complexion, short fair hair, and slender made. Finding fiddlers willing to go on such a long voyage was difficult, which accounts for Bligh's willingness to accept him on board.

He took no active part in the mutiny, and was told to keep aside by the mutineers to avoid injury. He was very anxious to go with Bligh in the Launch, but not permitted to do so by the Mutineers as 'they would not do without their fiddler'. He was one of those who chose to stay on Tahiti. He took up residence in Oparra with the chief of that district. Byrne was very much handicapped by his blindness, and suffered from the nervous fear that his companions would abandon him, and that he would be left alone to find his way about.

When the 'Pandora' arrived, its coming was announced by the Tahitians long before it made port. Captain Edwards sent two armed boats to round up the mutineers, but most had escaped in Morrison's schooner, the 'Resolution'. Byrne refused to run from the 'Pandora', despite his long-standing fear of abandonment. He met Edward's boats as they arrived, and despite his protests of innocence, was immediately placed in irons. He survived the sinking of the Pandora, was returned to England, and was acquitted.