[Editor: This list contains various works by John O’Brien (Patrick Joseph Hartigan); for biographical information, click here. As there are many older words and phrases in his poems, including quite a few of Irish origin, which may be unfamiliar to many readers, a glossary has been provided.]
1921: Around the Boree Log and Other Verses, Sydney: Angus & Robertson
1952: On Darlinghurst Hill, Sydney: Ure Smith (A history of the Catholic Parish of Darlinghurst)
1954: The Parish of St Mel’s and Other Verses, Sydney: Angus & Robertson (published posthumously, authorship credited to “John O’Brien”)
1975: The Men of ’38 and Other Pioneer Priests, Kilmore (Vic.): Lowden Publishing (edited by T. J. Linane and F. A. Mecham; published posthumously, authorship credited to “John O’Brien”, from a collection of articles originally published in the Australian Catholic Record 1943-1945)
Poems by John O’Brien:
[The initials after each listing refer to the publication that the work was published in.]
The Altar-Boy [ABL 1921]
Around the Boree Log [ABL 1921]
At Home [PSM 1954]
The Birds Will Sing Again [ABL 1921]
Calling To Me [ABL 1921]
At Casey’s After Mass [ABL 1921]
The Carey’s [ABL 1921]
The Church upon the Hill [ABL 1921]
Come, Sing Australian Songs to Me! [ABL 1921]
Cooney’s Daughter [PSM 1954]
Could I Hear the Kookaburras Once Again [ABL 1921]
Currajong [ABL 1921]
The Day th’ Inspector Comes [PSM 1954]
The Durkins [PSM 1954]
The Field of the Cloth of Gold [PSM 1954]
Firin’ on the Eight [PSM 1954]
The Helping Hand [ABL 1921]
Himself and Myself [PSM 1954]
His Father [ABL 1921]
Honeymooning from the Country [ABL 1921]
I Come, Dear Lord, Each Morning [PSM 1954]
Imelda May [PSM 1954]
Josephine [ABL 1921]
The Kites That We Used To Fly [PSM 1954]
The Kookaburras [ABL 1921]
Laughing Mary [ABL 1921]
The Libel [ABL 1921]
Little Churches [PSM 1954]
The Little Irish Mother [ABL 1921]
Making Home [ABL 1921]
The Meeting [PSM 1954]
Moryah [ABL 1921]
My Curate, Father Con [PSM 1954]
My Curate’s Motor-Bike [PSM 1954]
Norah O’Neill [ABL 1921]
The Old Bush School [ABL 1921]
The Old Home [PSM 1954]
The Old Mass Shandrydan [ABL 1921]
Old Sister Paul [PSM 1954]
One By One [ABL 1921]
The One-Ton Truck [PSM 1954]
Ownerless [ABL 1921]
The Parting Rosary [ABL 1921]
The Pastor of St Mel’s [PSM 1954]
Peter Nelson’s Fiddle [ABL 1921]
The Pillar of the Church [ABL 1921]
Pitchin’ at the Church [ABL 1921]
The Presbyt’ry Dog [ABL 1921]
The Road to Danahey’s [PSM 1954]
Saffron Thistles [PSM 1954]
Said Hanrahan [ABL 1921]
Said the White-Haired Priest [ABL 1921]
St. Patrick’s Day [ABL 1921]
Sez She [PSM 1954]
Sing Me a Song [PSM 1954]
Sittin’ be the Wall [PSM 1954]
Six Brown Boxer Hats [ABL 1921]
A Stranger in the Church [ABL 1921]
Tangmalangaloo [ABL 1921]
Teddo Wells, Deceased [ABL 1921]
Tell Me, What’s a Girl to do? [ABL 1921]
Ten Little Steps and Stairs [ABL 1921]
Ten-Twelve Shebang [PSM 1954]
The Tidy Little Body [ABL 1921]
The Trimmin’s on the Rosary [ABL 1921]
Twin Cylinders [PSM 1954]
Vale, Father Pat [ABL 1921]
When Old Man Carey Died [ABL 1921]
When the Circus Came to Town [ABL 1921]
When the “Sut” Drops Down [PSM 1954]
The Wiree’s Song [ABL 1921]
Wisha, What is the Matter with Jim? [ABL 1921]
Good morning, I have just “re – found” two hard cover books of poetry being “Around The Boree Log” and “The Parish Of St. Mel’s, might have St Mels dust cover somewhere. Print / published 1952-1954 ( Including … “We’ll all be ROONED” said Hanrahan!!) Someone … probably my Mother … RIP 1966 … has written the “Peace Prayer Of St Francis” at the start of “Around The Boree Log”
Some watermarks? are present, these books approx 70 years old
I would like to sell these works to a genuine collector … I’m aware the J O’b is actually an invented name, the real name of the author is Monsignor Patrick Joseph Hartigan.