Around the Boree Log

"Around the Boree Log" is a wonderful collection of poems written by Irish-Australian Father Patrick Joseph Hartigan (under the pen name "John O'Brien"). Hartigan speaks in straightforward, understandable terms about his own people, the very Catholic group of Irish immigrants in Australia. His affection for them and their new homeland is evident in every paragraph.

In this book, we rediscover a vanished way of life: one that was simple, kind, full of joy and mirth, and never far from the contemplation of God. Hartigan emphasises the crucial role of the "little Irish mother," who had such a profound impact on her family and children, and through them on society as a whole. Although his witty pen does not shy away from exposing some of his people's flaws, he always does so in a polite, respectful manner, and we get the impression that it does not tarnish his sympathies.