 He was ordained a Roman Catholic priest on 25 March 1858, in Tuam by his mother's first cousin, the Archbishop John MacHale.After leaving Maynooth, he was appointed Professor of Irish, logic, and humanities at St. Jarlath's College; where he taught from 1859 to 1878.He was also president of St. Jarlath's College from 1865 to 1878.