It was founded by his grandfather in the nineteenth century, and had become a large concern involved in the manufacture of clothing for men and boys.
His experience within the family business helped to educate him in all aspects of the manufacturing process, to the extent that he left the firm in 1913 and set up his own hosiery factory.
[3] A devout catholic who took a deep interest in the welfare of his workers and the working classes in general, he founded the Sunbeam Social Service Society.
Partly run by the workers, the society provided free medical, dental, and marriage benefits as well as home nursing to those who required it.
In addition to this he funded the building of a recreation hall in a housing area near Spangle Hill in Cork.