Irish birth record, https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/files/civil/birth_returns/births_1900/02006/1771138.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. 316. On 1 February 1900 at Ballynera, birth of Michael, male, father John O'Rourke of Ballynera, National Teacher, mother Anne O'Rourke formerly Ryan; informant: Anne O'Rorke, mother, of Ballynera; 5 March 1900; R.H. Jackman, Registrar."

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Personal, The Age, Brisbane, 7 November 1925, p 8, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article291964438:

The Rev. M. J. O'Rourke, brother of the Rev. Father O'Rourke, who was recently ordained at All Hallows' College, Dublin, for the Archdiocese of Brisbane, arrived by the "Esperance Bay" last week.

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Fr Denis W. Martin, Priests of 1928, Brisbane, 2003, p 226:
Michael O'Rourke

Even younger than James Rawlings when he died, was Fr Michael O'Rourke. He was probably consumptive.

Michael Joseph O'Rourke was two years younger than his brother Denis and was born in 1900 at Drombane near Thurles in Co Tipperary. He attended the Drombane National School where his father was headmaster, then in 1912 entered Mt Melleray Seminary for secondary and philosophical studies. Ill-health forced him to abandon studies between 1917 and 1919. In 1921 he switched to All Hallows where he was ordained in 1925.

After his arrival in Brisbane, Fr Michael was allowed to go to Maryborough to spend three months with Denis. He spent the next few years, 1926-31, at Nambour. In 1932, he returned to Maryborough as an assistant under Mons. McCarthy, but his days were numbered. Some months later, he was compelled to enter the Mater Hospital where he died on 2th November 1933. Fr Michael O'Rourke was described as 'Gentle to sensitiveness by nature, deeply spiritual and endowed with uncommon ability. His friends in the priesthood will long miss this kindly, genial, essentially charitable member culled from their ranks.'

In the course of his tribute at the Cathedral, Archbishop Duhig said, 'He goes down to the grave not full of years but full of merits ... a family link is severed by the death of this devoted son and priest [but] it has been replaced by a more lasting link - a link between earth and heaven, a link that now remains for ever, far more lasting than the earthly link that has been severed. 'I thank God for his coming here ... after eight years of Priesthood, God called him because he was fit for Heaven.'

Aged only 33, Fr Michael O'Rourke was buried at Nudgee Cemetery. It was only ten days after the funeral of Fr William Howes. See also Fr Denis O'Rourke.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr Denis Martin.)

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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. [...]

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.)