James Quinn (bishop)

James Quinn, also known as James O'Quinn (17 March 1819 – 18 August 1881), was the first Roman Catholic Bishop of Brisbane.

Quinn was born at Rathbane (or Athy),County Kildare, Ireland, son of Matthew Quinn, a farmer, and his wife Mary née Doyle. Quinn had a classical and general education in Ireland before undertaking theological studies at the Jesuits' College at Rome.

Quinn was ordained a priest in Rome on the Feast of the Assumption, 15 August 1843. His first assignment was to run an academy in Dublin. His good work impressed his superiors, particularly Cardinal Paul Cullen. In June 1859 when the Diocese of Brisbane was created, Quinn was appointed the first bishop. He was consecrated in Dublin on 29 June 1859, but did not arrive in Queensland until 1861.

On arrival in Brisbane, the new diocese had four churches, four schools and a debt of £1250. Quinn was very active in trying to grow the Roman Catholic presence, leading to the joke that the colony should not be called Queensland but Quinn's Land. Despite such remarks, he was respected by both Catholics and Protestants alike. When a prominent Orangeman Rev Porteus gave a speech in Ipswich that angered the Irish Catholics, a riot was feared at a picnic to be held by the Orangemen the following day. Quinn travelled to Ipswich and used his influence with Catholics to calm them and then he attended the picnic to spead goodwill among the Protestants.

In 1875, the Irish celebrated the centenary of the birth of Irish nationalist Daniel O'Connell. As part of these celebrations, Quinn announced he was adding an "O" to his surname and would be henceforth known as O'Quinn.

He tried to obtain government support for Catholic schools and clashed with Mother Mary MacKillop.

His brother, Matthew Quinn, became the Roman Catholic Bishop of Bathurst in New South Wales. Four sons of their sister Sarah (who married John Horan) also became priests: Matthew, Andrew, James and Joseph Horan.

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