Irish birth record, https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/files/civil/birth_returns/births_1898/02072/1791255.pdf: "Superintendent Registrar's District Thurles, Registrar's District Holycross. Births Registered in the District of Holycross in the Union of Thurles in the County of Tipperary. No. 234. On 5 August 1898 at Mealiffe, birth of Denis, male, father John O'Rorke of Mealiffe, School Teacher, mother Annie O'Rorke formerly Ryan; informant: Anne Purcell her mark, present at birth, of Mealiffe; 19 August 1898; R.H. Jackman, Registrar."

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Fr Denis W. Martin, Priests of 1928, Brisbane, 2003, pp 208-210:
Denis O'Rourke

Several Fr O'Rourkes worked in the Brisbane Archdiocese. Three are in this photograph. Denis Stanislaus O'Rourke was another of the '98s and 1922 All Hallows group.

John O'Rourke was headmaster of the local National School and educated his sons Denis and Michael who were destined for the priesthood and Queensland. 'Dinny' moved from Mt Melleray to All Hallows where he was ordained in 1922. This was the year in which the Irish civil war resulted in the shooting of Michael Collins. Archbishop Duhig happened to be in Ireland at the time and walked in the funeral procession. All Hallows was graced with a visit also.

Fr O'Rourke steamed straight for Brisbane to arrive in November 1922. He went to Nambour, then to Maryborough until 1932. From 1933 to 1944 he lived at Wynberg, serving at the Cathedral and as acting Administrator of Holy Spirit, New Farm.

Barney O'Shea has written of a couple of amusing incidents involving Dinny at that period. The first concerns a dinner at Wynberg during which Archbishop Duhig said, 'I suppose if we look down from heaven in 100 years time, we'll see further changes.' From the bottom of the table, Denis says, 'I suppose we'll see the Holy Name Cathedral built.' His Grace thumped the table and responded, 'You'll see that built in your lifetime. We give you thanks, Almighty God ...' and left.

Dinny delivered a series of talks at the Cathedral on the Sacraments. After the one on Matrimony, a woman came round to the sacristy to say how much she liked it. He decided to test her by asking what she could remember about it. His week's worth of preparation was rewarded by the reply, 'I remember Father that you said a Nuptial Mass costs no more than an ordinary marriage'!

And he was guilty of another faux pas, again in the presence of Archbishop Duhig, who was reminiscing about his days as a curate in Ipswich and having to load up the horse to go up country for Mass, 'With the horse fully laden, I would then swing up into the saddle.' Denis guilelessly commented, 'It's wonderful how much a horse can carry.' Those who know the ample size of His Grace will understand why there followed an uneasy silence. [All forgot that when the young James Duhig was at Ipswich he was quite a slender figure.]

Barney concluded by recalling that Fr O'Rourke was 'a truly holy man, a Holy Innocent,' and many went to Hamilton for the sacrament of Penance.

Dinny had been at Graceville as Parish Priest for 1946 and 1947, then was at Hamilton until the end. He was remembered as being scrupulous and always short of money, yet he could 'always find a little insurance money to make trips home to Ireland'. He was a great visitor to his parishioners and even in old age, this small but sprightly figure in clerical black toiled up the heights of Hamilton for the good of his flock.

He was also realistic about practical matters, keeping an eye on the clock towards the end of Sunday Mass. Just before the Last Gospel and the three Hail Marys for the conversion of Russia, he would turn to the congregation and announce, in the same dignified tone he used for the liturgy, 'All those for the Pinkenba bus may leave now,' and continue, without missing a beat, 'In principio erat Verbum ... '. His approach to the Sacrament of Penance was also well ahead of his time, greeting each penitent in a relaxed and friendly way and chatting briefly beforehand, even in the days of anonymity!

Fr Denis O'Rourke, a frail little figure by now, died on 13th July 1975. He was buried at Nudgee.

His brother was Michael O'Rourke. Another brother, Thomas, was ordained in 1934 for service in Australia, possibly in Adelaide. Another brother was 'an Irish missioner' in China, probably a Columban. A cousin was Fr J A O'Rourke DD PhD BA of Lismore, and later of Katoomba, NSW. Fr Pat O'Rourke was not related.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr Denis Martin.)