[1] O'Doherty was born at Loughglynn, Ballaghaderreen, County Roscommon on 21 November 1877 and educated in Sligo and Maynooth.
He was ordained priest on 22 June 1902 for service in the Diocese of Elphin and his first pastoral appointment was to the staff of Summerhill College, Sligo, from 1902–1910.
O'Doherty has been assessed by historians as pro-Treaty bishop but more measured in his tone than his episcopal colleagues in other parts of Galway.
He is remembered as a "disciplinarian"[3] which would be consistent with his previous posting in Maynooth responsible for the formation of students.
[4] In July 1935, along with many other Irish bishops he opined on the evils of the dance-halls which were "practically on all occasions dangerous to morals."