His close friend, Máirtín Ó Cadhain, urged him to leave the IRA to focus on his writings.
He married Ellen Maher (1903–1947) from Clonard, county Westmeath in Corpus Christi Church, St Martin's (Maiden Lane), London on 25 June 1930.
He was a fine athlete and sportsman, and as a young man played Gaelic football and hurling with his native parish team.
Bairéad's involvement in this activity was in reaction to the eviction of a number of his neighbours by the landlord, and resulted in him spending some time in gaol.
He was friendly with Liam Mellows and Proinsias Ó hEidhin, and others who were leaders of the 1916 Rebellion in county Galway.
In 1930 he purchased the family home, 3 Beechmount Villas, Glasnevin, Dublin, where he lived until he retired to Moycullen in 1948.
This was a collection of short stories and sketches dealing mainly with scenes and events familiar to Bairéad in his native countryside.
This book also received positive reviews, such as one writing that Bairéad "is undoubtedly a discovery and a decided addition to the ranks of Gaelic writers".
For this collection he was awarded the Douglas Hyde Literary Fund('Ciste an Chraoibhin Aoibhin'), in 1938 for the best original work in the Irish language.
Bairéad's daughter, Treasa (the donor of the collection) also has in her possession a medal inscribed as follows, 'Aonach Tailteann 1932 (an Bhainnriogain Tailte).
The letters from Bairéad's friend Morchadh Ó Dabhorionn, are fascinating as they reveal something resembling that of the loneliness of an Irish emigrant.
It was too bad that fate made me leave there for as you have said more than once before it was there that I did belong"[2] Tomás Bairéad died in Bon Secours Hospital, Galway, on 26 October 1973.