Fr T.J. Linane, From Abel to Zundolovich, Vol. 2: Biographies of Priests on the Australian Scene up to 1900, 1980, p 4:

Byrne, James, Most Rev., Irish
Toowoomba's First Bishop
This worthy was born in Ballingarry, County Tipperary, on 2.7.1870. He was educated at St. Patrick's College, Thurles, and ordained by Bishop Croke of Cashel at the College on 21.6.1896. The recruit for Brisbane made his way rapidly in service at St. Stephen's Cathedral and a few years after Ordination was appointed Administrator by Archbishop Robert Dunne. In the period 1917-29 he was Parish Priest of Ipswich, being made Vicar General in 1919 and a Monsignor in 1922. Then came the appointment as first Bishop of Toowoomba, being consecrated by Archbishop Cattaneo, Apostolic Delegate to Australia, on 1.9.1929. Many achievements can be enumerated. Among them, the completion of St. Patrick's Cathedral, the founding of Downlands College, the introduction of the De La Salle Brothers and the Ursuline Sisters, the bringing of the Sisters of St. Joseph to St. George and Texas, creation of new parishes and the addition of some 10 priests. Becoming very ill in 1935 he underwent a major operation in the Mater Hospital, Brisbane. A convalescent trip to New Zealand effected some improvement. He was well enough to take part in the 1937 Plenary Council, but soon after his health failed once more. With the failure came death on 11.2.1938. His remains were interred in the Toowoomba Cemetery. The age was 67.
(Footprints, Vol. 1, No. 10)
Ref.: Diocesan Archives, Toowoomba.

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Fr Denis W. Martin, Priests of 1928, Brisbane, 2003, pp 34-37:
Mons. [later Bishop] James Byrne

Looking quite episcopal eighteen months too soon is Monsignor James Byrne. He and Michael Potter are the only two Monsignori in this photo and there weren't many in the Archdiocese at the time. He was Parish Priest of Ipswich (1917-1929), had been Vicar-General since 1919 and a Monsignor since 1922.

He had served as Administrator of the Cathedral for eleven years (1905-1916). As he had accompanied Archbishop Duhig on a trip to Rome in 1922, it is almost certain that he knew he was in line to become the first bishop of the new Diocese of Toowoomba.

Back in 1911 when he was a potential threat to Duhig for the Coadjutorship of Brisbane, Tom Boland tells us of Archbishop Duhig's faint praise for James Byrne in a letter of 'self-recommendation' to Cardinal Moran: 'Fr Byrne is a good average priest devoted to his work and very loyal to the Archbishop ... I cannot say honestly that I regard Fr Byrne as the man we need. His qualities are more negative than positive. He is a most genial, kind-hearted man and well liked.'

He tells us too how quite unintentionally Fr Byrne was responsible for the site of the proposed Holy Name Cathedral. 'Hennessey [the architect] inspected the Ann St site and decided it was too cramped for the long nave he envisaged. He and Duhig showed the design to James Byrne, the administrator of St Stephen's. He asked how much it would cost and Hennessey told him £250,000. Byrne replied that the Diocese, loyal to St Stephen's, would not contribute 250 pence for it. Facetiously knowing how the old man upstairs [Archbishop Dunne] would react, he suggested that they knock down Dara and put the Cathedral there. Duhig and Hennessey regarded the idea as inspired and accepted it enthusiastically.'

Con Roberts recalled James Byrne as 'a man of charming personality'.

He was duly named as Bishop for Toowoomba and consecrated by the Apostolic Delegate, Dr Cattaneo, on 1st December 1929 at St Patrick's, now a Cathedral. This building was completed during his term in 1934.

Soon after Bishop Byrne fell into ill health and died on 11th February 1938. He was buried in the Toowoomba Cemetery at the age of 67. A Tipperary born man, he had been ordained at Thurles seminary in 1896.

His nephew was Bishop Joyce of Christchurch, New Zealand.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr Denis Martin.)

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Prayer Calendar: Deceased Priests who have ministered the Catholic Faith throughout Toowoomba and districts, 1864–2025, Compiled by Annie Carrett, Diocesan Archivist, 2001, Updated by Gabrielle Saide, Diocesan Archivist, 2023:
Most Rev James Byrne, DD, first Bishop of Toowoomba, died 11 Feb 1938

James Byrne was born in Ballingarry, Co.Tipperary, on 2nd July 1870. He was educated at St Patrick's College, Thurles, and ordained by Bishop Croke of Cashel at the College on 21st June 1896. The recruit for Brisbane made his way rapidly in service at St Stephen's Cathedral, and a few years after his ordination, was appointed Administrator by Archbishop Dunne. In the period 1917-1929, he was the Parish Priest of Ipswich, being made the Vicar General in 1919 and a Monsignor in 1922. Then came the appointment as first Bishop of Toowoomba. He was consecrated by Archbishop Cattaneo, Apostolic Delegate, on 1st September 1929. Many achievements can be enumerated. Among them the completion of St Patrick's Cathedral, the founding of Downlands College, the introduction of the De la Salle Brothers and Ursuline Sisters, the creation of new Parishes and the addition of some ten priests. Becoming very ill in 1935, he underwent a major operation in the Mater Hospital in Brisbane. A convalescent trip to New Zealand worked some improvement, and he was able to take part in the Plenary Council of 1937, but soon after his health failed once more. He died in 1938 at age 67, he is interred in the Toowoomba/Drayton Cemetery.
(Ref. Linane B149 and Archives)

Reproduced by permission of Bishop Ken Howell.