William Augustine O'Carroll
Encyclopedia
William Augustine O'Carroll (1831–1885) was an Irish
nationalist, radical liberal, journalist and Queensland
newspaper editor.
O'Carroll was the son of a ship's captain and born in a family bakery In Patrick Street, Cork
. He joined the Fenian
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. 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 following the collapse of the Guardian but a struugle 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 (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
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 appointed Carl Adolf Feilberg
as editor-in-chief of the Brisbane Courier and its weekly the Queenslander.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
nationalist, radical liberal, journalist and Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
newspaper editor.
O'Carroll was the son of a ship's captain and born in a family bakery In Patrick Street, Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
. He joined the Fenian
Fenian
The Fenians , both the Fenian Brotherhood and Irish Republican Brotherhood , were fraternal organisations dedicated to the establishment of an independent Irish Republic in the 19th and early 20th century. The name "Fenians" was first applied by John O'Mahony to the members of the Irish republican...
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. 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 following the collapse of the Guardian but a struugle 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 (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
Gresley Lukin Australian public servant, newspaper owner, company manager and newspaper editor, most prominently the part-proprietor of the Brisbane Newspaper Company from November 1873 to December 1880, then and still the leading journal in Queensland under the name the Courier-Mail.Lukin was...
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 appointed Carl Adolf Feilberg
Carl Adolf Feilberg
Carl Adolph Feilberg was a Danish-born Australian journalist, newspaper editor, general political commentator and human rights activist.-Life and achievements:...
as editor-in-chief of the Brisbane Courier and its weekly the Queenslander.