His championship career with the Meath, Dublin and Louth senior county teams spanned eighteen years from 1898 until 1916.
In 1889 his father's ship was run down by a steamer [2] and he was sent to work in his uncle’s quarry in Bohernabreena - hence the nickname "Sandman".
[3] There with his exceptionally long arms and great strength he astounded the GAA people of Dublin and joined Kickhams.
In 1905 the Great Southern & Western Railway presented a Shield for an inter-provincial competition and Jack played for Leinster in 1906 and 1907 the only 2 years in which it was run.
Kerry refused to travel and Louth were awarded and accepted a walk- over from the Centrel Council in the first ever GAA strike.