[2] [3] He was educated by the Christian Brothers in the town on George's Street [4] and left school at fourteen years old, which was not unusual at this time.

Many people of Ireland felt that this needed to change and so, in 1909, James Larkin formed the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union (ITGWU).

[8][9] Many important figures joined the union including P. T. Daly, James Connolly and eventually Richard Corish himself who became a voice for the Wexford workers.

[4] During the lockout, he was arrested, spending a night in jail, for expressing his anger to a recently employed non-union foundry worker.

[15] His involvement in the trade union movement and his clear speechgiving skills displayed during a visit from Michael Collins to Wexford Town that same year were what gave him a fighting chance in this election.

[2] Corish was a member of the governing body of University College Dublin as well as the Irish National Foresters, and was its High Chief Ranger in 1942.

During investigatory surgery for stomach pain, the doctors of Wexford County Hospital realised that his condition was much worse than imagined and he died shortly after.

His death caused a by-election to the Dáil which was won by his son, Brendan Corish, who was later a leader of the Labour Party and Tánaiste.