 In March 1896 he was elected the Nationalist member for South Louth in a by-election and he held the seat until 1900.His by-election platform was home rule on advanced nationalist principles, the endorsement of Catholic demands on education, the complete abolition of landlordism, and support for labourers.After losing his seat in 1900 he returned to the House of Commons at the December 1910 general election to represent Mid Tyrone, beating the sitting Unionist MP, Gerald Fitzgibbon Brunskill, by a majority of 723 votes.