The O'Beirne Family Journal

lssue 9 October 2003

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The O’Beirne Family Journal           Issue 9        October 2003 

Dedication 

This issue of our Journal is dedicated to the memory of Cornelius (Con) G. Byrne of Coorparoo, Brisbane, Australia who died on November 10, 2003. He liked to write his name, at least to me, as Con Byrne (sive O’Beirne) as he was a proud descendent of James Beirne of Killukin-Killummod parish in Co. Roscommon. Con’s ancestors emigrated to Australia on the sailing ship “Golden City” in 1863 and changed the spelling of their surname soon thereafter. In 1990 Con, a retired pharmacist, designed the Australian version of the O’Beirne Family Crest which appeared in our first Issue. 

Con signed off his letters with the benediction, “May the rain fall softly on your fields.”  

May he rest in peace. R.I.P.                  

John E. (Seán) O’Beirne, Editor

A SPECIAL ISSUE 

In past Issues, we have brought you the stories and tales of O’Beirne’s from around the globe. Some were proud, some were sad and some were derring-do. All were, it seems fair to say, instructive and many exhibited the good humor that seems to be in our genes and for which we must be grateful.

Good humor, a little mirth, can show up at the most unusual moments and in the most poignant stories. But can you have good humor and mirth in architecture? Can you build entertainment into a building design? You surely can, as we hope to prove with the fanciful and fantastic designs of Frank O’Beirne, the author of “Johns: The Outhouse Beautiful.”

Five decades ago, Frank brought his talent to that private place that was disappearing from the landscape of America, although he assured us that 50 million of our citizens still used such facilities at that time. Such usually small buildings went by various names in various countries. We may know them as “Johns,” or “Jacks,” or “Latrines,” or that uninformative “W.C.” Or we know them by many unrepeatable words not appropriate to our family audience. But their need and functionality was basic to our existence. Frank O’Beirne exults in their design and we hope that the builder bug in all of us, architects or not, helps us enjoy his creativity.                                                                                        

to B. M.' without whose co-operation this book would not have been possible.
Copyright 1952 Frank O'Beirne

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