 In 1944 O'Hehir joined the staff of Independent Newspapers as a sports sub-editor, before beginning a seventeen-year career as racing correspondent in 1947.His racing expertise were not just limited to print journalism as he became a racing commentator with Radio Éireann in 1945.Even though O'Hehir's star was on the rise with the national broadcaster in Ireland, he applied to the BBC for a position as racing commentator.