 He qualified as a primary school teacher.He was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) for the Mayo East constituency on his second attempt at the 1977 general election and was re-elected until losing his seat at the 1997 general election.At the 1997 general election the Mayo East constituency was combined with Mayo West and the combined Mayo constituency was reduced to 5 seats.