Builder and Queensland Irish Association founder

John Arthur Manus O’Keeffe (1836 – 1901), a renowned builder and pioneer, left Cork at 28 aboard the Fiery Star, a ship symbolic of both tragedy and opportunity for many Irish emigrants seeking new horizons in Australia. Arriving in Rockhampton on November 18, 1864, after a 92-day voyage from Queenstown (now Cobh), Ireland, O’Keeffe’s journey marked a pivotal moment in his life.

The significance of the Fiery Star in O’Keeffe’s narrative is underscored by its tragic fate. On May 11, just months after O’Keeffe’s arrival in Australia, the Fiery Star caught fire and sank off the coast of New Zealand, resulting in the loss of 79 lives. This calamity, although not directly affecting O’Keeffe, added a somber note to his journey and highlighted the perils faced by emigrants.

O’Keeffe quickly established himself in Queensland, initially drawn to Toowoomba by railway developments and later to the Gympie gold rush of 1867. Despite financial setbacks and bank collapses, he secured substantial property holdings near Gympie’s timber resources. Under the alias “Arthur,” O’Keeffe became a distinguished building contractor in Brisbane, with significant works including St Joseph’s College and Her Majesty’s Theatre.

A fervent Irish nationalist and co-founder of the Queensland Irish Association, O’Keeffe proudly documented his ancestry back to the Kings of Munster. He rests in Nudgee Cemetery, within the Mooney family plot, a testament to his enduring ties with his wife Ellen Mooney’s family.

Read more here: https://irishqueenslander.com/2024/07/01/builder-john-okeeffe-left-his-mark-on-brisbane/