 He undertook a variety of jobs before emigrating to Australia in 1955, to work as a labourer.He returned to Belfast in 1962, and found himself unable to work at Short and Harland because he was not a member of the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union (ATGWU).He instead found employment in a warehouse, but joined the ATGWU and soon moved to work at Short and Harland as a labourer.