Born near Macroom in County Cork, O'Lehane studied at the North Monastery before completing an apprenticeship as a draper.
He moved to Limerick in 1898 to work for Cannocks, where he contracted typhoid and narrowly escaped death.
[1] In 1902, O'Lehane travelled around Ireland, recruiting members for the IDAA, with a branch being set up in Galway and over the next few years in other towns and cities.
The union focused its campaigns on reducing working hours, creating a half-day holiday per week, and setting up agreements to cover overtime pay.
[2] He was also elected to the Dublin Corporation in 1907, representing Kilmainham as an independent labour member.