dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ðiːz jˈɪɹz hiː bɪkˌeɪm ɐn ˈæktɪv mˈɛmbɚɹ ʌvðɪ ˈaɪɹɪʃ nˈæʃənəl tˈiːtʃɚz ˌɔːɹɡɐnəzˈeɪʃən ænd wʌz juːnˈænɪməsli ᵻlˈɛktᵻd ɪts pɹˈɛzɪdənt ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti, ænd ɐɡˈɛn ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi tˈuː.
During these years he became an active member of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation and was unanimously elected its president in 1920, and again in 1932.