[1] From Macroom, County Cork, Corkery was served short terms of imprisonment in 1916 and 1917 for Irish Volunteers activity.
During the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921), he took part in barracks attacks and operations against British forces.
[3] At the 1921 general election he was elected unopposed to the Second Dáil as a Sinn Féin Teachta Dála (TD) for the Cork Mid, North, South, South East and West constituency.
During the Irish Civil War Corkery worked on anti Anglo-Irish Treaty publicity issues in Cork with well-known writers/journalists: Frank O'Connor, Seán Ó Faoláin and Robert Brennan.
He states that he was granted parole in June 1923 in connection with the death of his wife following which he returned to his internment and was finally released in February 1924.