The Catholic Press/1915/Death of Mr. Michael O'Malley

Death of Mr. Michael O'Malley.

A DISTINGUISHED QUEENSLAND IRISHMAN.

BRISBANE, December 20.

Death has indeed been busy amongst us, the latest prominent Irishman to join the great majority being Mr. Michael O'Malley, who passed away with startling suddenness at Coolangatta Railway Station on Monday morning, whilst waiting with his daughter for his home-bound train. He was born in that pretty, well-known and favourite watering-place, Kilkee, in County Clare, 79 years ago, where his father was clerk to the magistrates; but the wanderlust having seized him, he came out to Queensland when only 20 years of age, and drifted to the then most prominent business centre in the colony, Ipswich. In this town, at the head of the Brisbane River, he found several congenial spirits, like the irrepressible, aggressive Paddy O 'Sullivan and Dinny Keogh, and others, who were ever prepared to enter into the lists when their faith and nationality were assailed. Ipswich was then a hotbed of Orangeism, but the militant spirit of those stalwart Catholics and Fenian sympathisers counteracted every movement, until respect for their prowess and fearless advocacy by speech and sinew, compelled the bigots to disgorge their venom in private. Young O'Malley, who was then a sturdy, rugged specimen of Irish manliness, as became a representative of the Banner County, cheerfully bore the risks in many of those memorable and stirring encounters. That Orangeism is such a miserable "ism" in our State to-day is because of the sterling work performed by those grand national pioneers in the old days, to which our creed owes an everlasting debt of gratitude. Mr. O'Malley, after serving some time in the office of Mr. Macalister, a one-time Premier of Queensland, joined the Public Service, and had a long and honourable career, until he retired with a handsome pension, soundly earned. As C.P.S. and police magistrate he was as well and favourably known in the North as he was in the Southern districts, and always remained until death claimed him the same proud, faithful, practical Catolic and stalwart Nationalist, who relished the exciting events of those riotous early days of sectarian bitterness. That his well-known principles did not affect his advancement in the service, where cliqueism and Masonic pull were then rampant, is a tribute to his ability as an officer, and being a fighter who could look well after himself with a fearlessness which ensured respect. When the Civil Service Board was appointed some years ago the personnel consisted of Captain Townly—a high minded Englishman and a great admirer of his friend, O'Malley—as chairman, Michael O'Malley representing Ireland and Catholicity, and Thomas Mylne, a Scotchman, and a big gun in Masonic circles, to represent other interests. It was, indeed, fortunate for the Catholics and Irishmen in the service that their representative on the board was such a strong personality, for many of their long-standing grievances were redressed without any compliments, and without any unfair treatment to other sections. The service was, however, in a rotten state, and though some good, honest work was done during the seven years' existence of the board, when the dissolution by effluxion of time took place, there was no renewal of office, and Mr. O'Malley retired from active service. The Cabinet now form the board, but its work is considerably lightened by the fact that all appointments, except in the case of specially-engaged, officers for special duties, are made after competitive public examinations, which, by the way, have given our Catholic youth the opportunity of showing their brilliancy as scholars, and which you will all remember acted as a nightmare to the late Mr. Barlow, who lamented the steady influx of Catholics in the, service, through the medium of their superior talents, and not by the old method of political and sectarian pull, which was able to keep them in the background.—R.I.P.