Irish birth record, https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/files/civil/birth_returns/births_1873/03207/2175925.pdf: "Superintendent Registrar's District Lismore, Registrar's District Cappoquin. Births Registered in the District of Cappoquin in the Union of Lismore in the County of Waterford. No. 202. On 20 December 1872 at Lachan, birth of Michael, male, father John Flynn of Lachan, farmer, mother Nano Flynn formerly Buckley; informant: Ellen Buckley her mark, present at birth, of Knockiholohan; 3 January 1873; John Prendergast, Deputy Registrar."

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Advertising, Northern Star, Lismore, 5 April 1921, p 1, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article93054413:

Public Notices.
Lecture.
To-morrow (Wednesday) Night
Federal Hall, 8 p.m.
Ireland's Struggle for Freedom.
By Very Rev. Father O'Flynn, of Brisbane.
Admission One Shilling.

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Father O'Flynn's Lecture, Northern Star, Lismore, 6 April 1921, p 4, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article93054584:

To-night at the Federal Hall the Very Rev. Father O'Flynn, of Brisbane, will deliver his lecture, "Ireland's Struggle for Freedom." Cost of tickets for the lecture is advertised. Booking at Paling's is free. The very rev. lecturer is an eloquent Irishman, and all who patronise the lecture may rely on hearing the truth from one who is loyal to his country.—Communicated.

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Fr Denis W. Martin, Priests of 1928, Brisbane, 2003, pp 9-12:
Michael O'Flynn

Looking very self-contented as he sits between Jerry O Leary and Pat Murphy is another able Irishman who hailed from Cappoquin - Michael O'Flynn. He studied at Mt Melleray, was sent to Paris and then ordained at All Hallows Dublin.

He was an exact contemporary of James Duhig, born about the same time and ordained in the same year, 1896. And it is James Duhig who in Crowded Years has left us a fine little pen sketch of our subject: 'One of my fellow curates [at Ipswich] had a variety of natural gifts including a most melodious voice which was heard with equal pleasure in singing and speaking. He subsequently became a noted orator and was very much in demand for sermons and addresses on big occasions.

This priest was a man of childlike simplicity which led him sometimes into awkward situations. He had no knowledge of instrumental music, but when a boarder at the local convent school going on holidays had forgotten to take her violin with her, he volunteered to take it to her when he was next going for Mass to the township in which she lived. When he went to take the train on the Saturday evening he walked right along the railway platform with the violin case under his arm and the news soon spread that the young Irish priest was an accomplished violinist!

Fr Tom Boland writing of the curate Duhig records: 'In Ipswich he went into St Mary's often and sat with the children to hear Andrew Horan and the golden-tongued O'Flynn'.

For 15 years from 1907, Fr O'Flynn was Administrator of St Patrick's in the Valley. Having been 16 years out from his native land by 1912, he decided to pay a 12 month visit home. His appreciative parishioners quickly put together a purse containing over £300 and organised a send-off. In his valedictory address the Hon. T C Beirne paid tribute to Fr O'Flynn as 'a wonderful administrator, a priest of untiring energy, of splendid eloquence, and capable of imparting great spiritual comfort - in all a loving father.' Undoubtedly they wished him a safe and happy return, for such was not the case with his predecessor who found a lonely burial in Port Said. Fr Michael Morris was returning from his trip home to Ireland but took ill and died in November of 1907. 'Not an inkling of the sad fatality had reached Australia.' The story in The Age of 11th January 1908 is worth telling -

Inexpressibly sad - indeed dramatic - must have been the experience of the reception committee appointed at a St Patrick's parishioners' meeting last week to meet and welcome the Rev Fr Morris on his expected return by the steamer Oruba. The committee, joined by Rev Fathers O'Flynn and O'Leary, journeyed down to Pinkenba last Thursday morning to meet and greet their old pastor and friend. Failing to find the familiar face amongst those on deck and poop they made enquiries aboard only to discover that poor Fr Morris had died on board the vessel and had been buried at Port Said. The shock was almost stunning to them as well as to all the parishioners when the news subsequently spread round Fortitude Valley. It was learned that Fr Morris had embarked at Naples, did not appear well, and expired as the vessel entered the Harbour at Port Said. A Franciscan brother who was on board arranged with the brethren of his Order at Port Said for the interment and his remains were accorded a resting place in Egyptian soil, far from the land of his birth or that in which nearly all the years of his priestly mission had been spent.

Fr O'Flynn and the parishioners soon had that ornate marble tablet put up in St Patrick's Church to the memory of the popular pastor.

Whilst Parish Priest at Gympie from 1923-1935, Fr O'Flynn completed the back section of Horan's church and built a new presbytery. He was a great Irish patriot who at the time of the 1921-1922 Civil War declared himself a Sinn Feiner and in favour of de Valera and Dr Mannix's views.

In 1929 to celebrate the centenary of Catholic emancipation as a result of Daniel O'Connell's fight, he dedicated memorial windows in the sanctuary of St Patrick's. During the same celebrations he delivered an oration on Daniel O'Connell. If oratory can be appreciated by being read, the following extract serves as an excellent example of his style:

'If I were a sculptor, I would chisel from the marble my idea of a hero. I would make it the figure of an Irishman sacrificing his hopes and his life on the altar of his country and I would carve on the pedestal the name O'Connell.

If I were a painter, I would make the canvas eloquent with the deeds of the bravest people that ever lived, whose proud spirit no nation can ever conquer, and whose loyalty and devotion to home and free government no tyrant can ever crush - and I would write under the picture Ireland.

If I were a poet, I would melt the world to tears with the pathos of my song. I would weave the shamrock and the rose into garlands of glory for the Emerald Isle, the land of martyrs and memories, the cradle of heroes and the nursery of liberty ... '

The great orator was first of all 'a kindly zealous man of God'. He died on 10th November 1935 while holidaying at Laguna House, Noosa Heads. It was alongside Dean Matthew Horan that he was buried in St Patrick's Church, Gympie.

Commenting on his age of 63 years, Archbishop Duhig remarked that 'the Duhigs were made of sterner stuff'!

'Of priests we can offer a charmin' variety,
Far renowned for larnin' and piety;
Still, I'd advance ye without impropriety,
Father O 'Flynn as the flower of them all.

Powerfullest preacher,
Tenderest teacher
And kindliest creature ... '

(Reproduced by permission of Fr Denis Martin.)

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T.W. Campbell, The Priests of the Diocese of Armidale: A Necrology, Braddon ACT, 2005:
O'Flynn, John

Listed in E J Doody, Acta et Statuta 1951, Appendix VI, Obituary List, in the section headed 'supplementary list of priests who have also worked in the diocese', but with no details other than the period he reputedly worked in the diocese, in this case 1921.
No details are held about a priest by this name or somebody closely resembling this name living and working in New South Wales at about this time. The source that resulted in Bishop Doody's listing is unknown.
(Source: Doody)

(Reproduced by permission of Tom Campbell.)