Irish death record, https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/files/civil/deaths_returns/deaths_1920/05114/4406402.pdf: Superintendent Registrar's District Limerick, Registrar's District No. 1. 1920. Deaths Registered in the District of No. 1 in the Union of Limerick in the County of Limerick. No. 136: On 10 July 1920 at St John's Hospital, death of John O'Brien of Knocklong, male, married [sic!], 47 years, R.C. Clergyman; of perforated duodenal ulcer, certified; informant: Margaret Hayes, occupier, St John's Hospital, 3 August 1920.

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Boonah Parish Priest. Death of Father O'Brien, Warwick Daily News, 15 July 1920, p 5, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article175765577:

Brisbane, Wednesday. — Archbishop Duhig has received a cable announcing the death of the Rev. John O'Brien, at the age of 48 years, at his parents' home in Knocklong, County Limerick, Ireland.
Father O'Brien was parish priest at Boonah. He left Brisbane in January last on 18 months' holiday, and arrived in Ireland towards the end of February.

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Deaths, The Age, Melbourne, 15 July 1920, p 1, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article203061072:

O'Brien.— (By cable.)— On the 13th July, at Knocklong, County Limerick, Rev. John K. O'Brien, of Boonah, Queensland, brother of Rev. Tim O'Brien, Cowwarr. R.I.P.

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Personal, The Brisbane Courier, 15 July 1920, p 11, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20418672:

His Grace Archbishop Duhig received a cable message yesterday announcing the death of the Rev John O'Brien, at the age of 48 years, at his parental home in Knocklong, County Limerick. Ireland. The late Father O'Brien, who was parish priest at Boonah, left Brisbane last January on a 12 months holiday, and arrived in Ireland towards the end of February. He was born at Knocklong on September 13, 1872, and was educated at St Patrick's College, Thurles, Ireland, where he was ordained on June 20, 1897. He arrived in Brisbane the following October, and took up his duties as curate in Warwick. He did not enjoy robust health but during his 23 years' residence in Queensland he engaged in constant missionary work in many parts of the State, notably at Warwick, Gayndah and Boonah. He was a cultured scholar, an eloquent preacher, and a man of genial disposition, and was generally esteemed. Notwithstanding his delicate health he took an interest in all movements for progress in the locality in which he happened to be stationed, and his death will be deeply regretted by many friends throughout Queensland.

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Denis M. Long, Pioneer and Early Priests, Archdiocese of Brisbane, Deceased or retired by 1929, 2021, p 160 [also includes a photograph]:
Fr John K O'Brien

I have a personal interest in the story of this priest. Fr O'Brien baptised my mother, Anne Josephine McEniery the daughter of Denis and Annie (nee Callinan) McEniery in the old St Mary's Church Warwick on 15 August 1908.

John Kevin O'Brien was born at Knocklong in co Limerick on 13 December 1872 to Thomas and Alice (nee O'Kelly) O'Brien. Baptised in the local church on 14 December, he was educated at the national school in Knocklong and then at St Ailbe's School in Tipperary town. From there he entered St Patrick's College in Thurles. When Archbishop Dunne visited Thurles in 1890 seeking priests for the Archdiocese John O'Brien volunteered. He was ordained a priest for the Brisbane Mission on 20 June 1897.(1)

He arrived in Sydney, aboard the Orient Line vessel the Oruba, on 10 October 1897. He arrived in Brisbane accompanied by three All Hallows priests; Fathers John F McCarthy, Michael Stapleton and Thomas Lee.(2)

Fr O'Brien's first appointment was as assistant priest to Fr James Horan in Warwick. After a nearly a year in the parish, on 13 November 1898, he was presented with a buggy and set of harness together with a purse of sovereigns. Organised by the Hibernian Society the function was held in the Hibernian Hall. Some sixty parishioners were in attendance. The presentation was made by the mayor of Warwick, Alderman John Healy.(3)

He spent twelve years and three months in Warwick. Returning from a visit to the western areas of the parish in 1910 he received notice that he was posted to Gayndah. He left Warwick on Thursday 3 February. He spent just ten weeks in the Gayndah parish. His health was failing and so he made a visit to his native Ireland for nearly a year.(4) On his return he spent fourteen weeks in Ipswich. Then on 9 November 1911 he was appointed to succeed Fr Philip Corrigan as parish priest of Boonah.(5)

Once again in poor health Fr O'Brien left Boonah on 17 January 1920 for a twelve month holiday with his family. His mother was still alive at the time.(6) He was just seven months in Ireland when he died in the family home at Knocklong on 13 July. His brother Fr Tim O'Brien of Cowwarr in the Sale diocese died on 25 April 1947. Another brother Fr Patrick who had ministered in Sale had predeceased Fr John on April 4, 1917.(7)

Various newspapers in reporting his death mention that:

"He had a cultivated mind, sparkling with whole souled patriotism for the land that gave him birth, intellectual and organising abilities, full of zeal and ardent friend."(8)

Footnotes
1. Brisbane Archdiocesan Archives.
2. Catholic Advocate, Brisbane, 19 Oct 1912, p. 20.
3. Warwick Argus, 19 Nov 1898, p. 8.
4. Age, Brisbane, 5 February 1910.
5. Brisbane Archdiocesan Archives.
6. Freemans Journal, Sydney, 22 January 1920, page 22.
7. Advocate, Melbourne, 22 July 1920, p. 21.
8. Age, Brisbane, 24 July 1920, p. 1.

Reproduced by permission of Fr Denis Long.