He was educated by the Jesuits at Coláiste Iognáid and later at St Stanislaus College in Tullabeg, County Offaly.

At its height, the company employed 700 people in an array of business ventures from a fertilizer factory to farming and electricity generation.

He was the leader of the Galway Employers' Federation during the lockout of 1912 and the five-week general workers strike of 1913.

The by-election caused by his death was held on 19 June 1935 and was won by Eamon Corbett of Fianna Fáil.

He never married, and lived at Belmore, Salthill, County Galway, where he died on 24 November 1934.