Brady was born in the Ballybot area of Newry. He attended the Abbey Primary School in the town and later the Abbey Christian Brothers' Grammar School. After this, he went to university in Liverpool. In 1981, Brady was employed by the Confederation of Community Groups in Newry, running a welfare rights advice centre, dealing with benefits and housing issues until 2007.[citation needed] His mother, Sarah "Sally" Brady (3 March 1909 – 4 May 2016), was the second oldest known living person in Northern Ireland.[3][4]
Locally, Brady is also a member of the Confederation of Community Groups and a member of the Board of Governors for schools in his constituency.
On 4 May 2015, during his Westminster election campaign, Brady was told by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) of a death threat against him. During the early hours of the following morning, he was advised again of another death threat against him and a bomb threat on his family home in Newry. The PSNI searched the property and found no devices.[5]
