He was born in Dungarvan in 1905. He was educated at the C.B.S. Dungarvan. In the late 1930's he became involved in the Trade Union Movement, he later became a full-time official of A. T. W. U. In 1942 he became a member of Dungarvan Urban District Council. He was chairman of the U.D.C. for 20 years. From 1945 he was a member of Waterford County Council and Waterford City Council from 1955 to 1960. In 1948 he was elected Labour T.D. for Waterford a position he held until 1969. He was Labour spokesman for Health  from 1957 to 1969. He was Chairman of the Labour parliamentary party from 1973 to 1977. He retired from politics in 1977. He died in 1981.