His father's death from tuberculosis meant that he had to leave school at 15 for a stonemason apprenticeship to support his four siblings.

At the time, it was illegal to sell condoms in Ireland and the clinic was condemned by the Catholic Church.

Kemmy stood unsuccessfully as an independent candidate for Dáil Éireann in the Limerick East constituency at the 1977 general election.

[1] Despite this he was re-elected at the February 1982 general election, but his opposition to the pro-life amendment to the Constitution had led to sustained attacks from the Catholic Church.

At the November 1982 general election, Kemmy lost his seat to Labour's Frank Prendergast.

[1] Shortly before his death, Kemmy edited the acclaimed book The Limerick Anthology which featured the work of his admirer, Frank McCourt.

[9] He was buried in Mount St Lawrence cemetery, Limerick, after a secular funeral ceremony.