William Augustine O'Carroll (1831–1885) was an

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

nationalist, radical liberal, journalist and

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

newspaper editor. O'Carroll was the son of a ship's captain and born in a family bakery In Patrick Street,

Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...

, Ireland. He joined the

Fenian The word ''Fenian'' () served as an umbrella term for the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB) and their affiliate in the United States, the Fenian Brotherhood, secret political organisations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries dedicated ...

s in 1858 and was a contributor to the Nationalist journal ''Irish People'' for which he subsequently became the editor. He left Ireland, allegedly with 'a prize on his head' following the failure of the 'St Patrick Plot' and he subsequently migrated to Brisbane with his family by the Chatsworth in 1862. O'Carroll gained a reputation in Queensland as the author of a series of articles to the Queensland ''Guardian'' newspaper, critical of the Irish immigration as conducted by the agents of its primary promoter, the Catholic Bishop of Queensland

James O'Quinn James Quinn, also known as James O'Quinn (17 March 1819 – 18 August 1881 ), was an Irish-Australian prelate of the Catholic Church and the first bishop of the Diocese of Brisbane. Early life Quinn was born at Rathbane (or Athy), Coun ...

. He joined the Guardian staff and from that time onwards O'Carroll's history was bound up with that of journalism in Queensland. He joined the staff of the ''

Brisbane Courier ''The Courier-Mail'' is an Australian newspaper published in Brisbane. Owned by News Corp Australia, it is published daily from Monday to Saturday in tabloid format. Its editorial offices are located at Bowen Hills, in Brisbane's inner norther ...

'' following the collapse of the ''Guardian'' but a struggle for the political line amongst that journals shareholders subsequently caused him to form the small liberal-oriented journal the ''Colonist'' in conjunction with

Robert Travers Atkin Robert Travers Atkin (29 November 1841 – 25 May 1872) was an Irish-born newspaper editor and politician in colonial Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensla ...

(1841–1872). This effort was severely halted by the premature death of Atkin in 1872, yet O'Carroll carried on this effort for some time as a tri-weekly under the name ''The Express'', yet he eventually sold to the company who bought up to launch what became the Brisbane Telegraph newspaper. He then joined the staff of the new part-owner of the ''Brisbane Courier'',

Gresley Lukin Gresley Lukin (1840–1916) was an Australian public servant, newspaper owner, company manager and newspaper editor, most prominently the part-proprietor of the Brisbane Newspaper Company (publisher of the Brisbane Courier and its weekly The Que ...

in November 1873 and remained in the position of 'sub-editor' on that journal throughout Lukin's managing proprietorship which lasted to 21 December 1880. Yet although Lukin retained the position as editor, and to some extent discharged the duty of that office, O'Carroll was from the beginning entrusted with a large share of the editorial responsibility. It was stated at his death that O'Carroll had been the 'de facto editor' of the ''Brisbane Courier'' onwards from the mid-1870s and remained in that position right through to September 1883, when the new managing proprietor

Charles Hardie Buzacott Charles Hardie Buzacott (1 August 1835 – 19 July 1918) was an Australian journalist, publisher and politician. Early life Buzacott was born in Torrington, Devonshire, England, son of James Buzacott and his wife Ann, ''née'' Hitchcock. He m ...

appointed Carl Adolf Feilberg as editor-in-chief of the ''Brisbane Courier'' and its weekly the ''Queenslander''. O'Carroll was buried in the Roman Catholic section of Toowong Cemetery which was attended by approximately 500 people.

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:OCarroll, William Augustine 1831 births 1885 deaths 19th-century Australian journalists 19th-century Australian male writers 19th-century male writers Australian male journalists