Pierce was born in 1936. He is now living in Dublin having previously lived in Galway and in the UK.
Pierce describes his introduction to painting at the Municipal Gallery of Art, which is adjacent to the primary school that he attended. As a boy he frequently visited the gallery and was captivated by the works of Corot and other European painters. Coloured illustrations of the Americans, Homer and Remington, became available in Dublin entering his memory and fuelling his imagination.

In the 1950s Pierce moved to England where he was to live for 25 years before returning to Ireland.

On returning to live here, Pierce was able to devote an increasing amount of time to painting and eventually, by 1993, he was painting full-time.

Hackett's painting reflects an eclectic interest in a select number of painters. His particular favourites include Turner and Goya, for their overwhelming imagery, for their felicity of style and brushwork. He has travelled widely in order to see the original works of his favourite artists visiting the great galleries - especially the Tate, the Prado, the Thyssen and the Washington galleries - whenever he can. Pierce sketches on location and has studios in Dublin and Estepona.

His work can be found in galleries across Ireland and the U.K, and his work is in private collections worldwide.