In 1919, he was to become the director of the music school in Cork and became the first professor of Irish music at University College Cork in 1922. Ill-suited for administrative tasks, he relinquished the post after one year and returned to Belfast, which after the Irish Civil War had become the capital of Northern Ireland.
He was destined to be the director of the music school in Cork in 1919 and became the first professor of Irish music at University College Cork in 1922. However, he proved inadequate for administrative responsibilities and resigned after a year, returning to Belfast, which had become the capital of Northern Ireland following the Irish Civil War.