A graduate of University College Dublin and Trinity College Dublin, many of Bernard's compositions have been published by leading publishing houses in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and his music is frequently performed on RTÉ national radio and television. He has been a prize-winner at every Irish sacred music competition in the last 25 years and his Mass of Renewal has become the established Mass setting in schools and parishes throughout Ireland.

In 2012, Bernard was commissioned to write the anthem, Though We Are Many, for the International Eucharistic Congress which was held in Dublin, and his music recently featured at all of the main liturgies during the World Meeting of Families 2018. His composition, The Last Supper, published by GIA, was performed at the closing liturgy of this event in Dublin in the presence of his Holiness, Pope Francis.

Bernard founded the multi-award winning chamber choir, Anima, and he is currently associated with some of Ireland's premier choral ensembles. In recent years he has been guest lecturer in liturgical composition at Maynooth Pontifical University, Ireland. His recent commissions include a new official Mass setting of texts in the Irish language and a Mass setting to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Cobh cathedral, to be premiered in August 2019.

He is currently music director for the new primary school religion programme, Grow in Love, published by Veritas, Ireland. Bernard's instrumental music continues to gain recognition and he has contribute to a number of film scores.