He was born on a small farm near Cashel, County Tipperary in 1922, the seventh child of Thomas Maher, a farmer, and his wife Julianne Maher.

[1] He was educated locally and became a member of Macra na Feirme.

In 1977 he became president of the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS).

[4] In the European Parliament, he was a member of the Liberal Democrat and Reform group.

He stood unsuccessfully as an independent candidate at the 1981 general election in the Tipperary South constituency.