Jack O'Hagan

John Francis (Jack) O'Hagan (29 November 1898 - July 15, 1987) was an Australian musician. [Bebbington, Warren "The Oxford Companion To Australian Music" Oxford University Press 1997]

O'Hagan was born in Fitzroy, Victoria, a suburb of Melbourne. He was the son of Pat O’Hagan, a hotelkeeper and Alice née Quinlan. He went to school at St Patrick's College and then later at Xavier College in Melbourne. His first job in the music business was at Allans music in Melbourne - he played sheet music for potential customers.cite web|url = http://www.brightoncemetery.com/HistoricInterments/150Names/ohaganj.htm|title = John Francis ‘Jack’ O’Hagan (1898-1987) Song Composer |work = 150 years: 150 lives (Brighton General Cemetery)| publisher = Travis M Sellers |date = 15 September 2007|accessdate = 2008-05-09] When radio was introduced to Australia, he was one of the first to broadcast for 3LO station.

Between 1916 and 1961 O'Hagan wrote over 600 songs, more than 200 of which were published. Some of O'Hagan's well-known songs are:
*"Along The Road To Gundagai" 1922 (used as the theme to the "Dad and Dave" radio show) The song was first performed by Peter Dawson in 1924 and recorded in London before selling some 40,000 to 50,000 copies in the first three months.
*"Our Don Bradman" 1930
*"Dog on the Tuckerbox" 1938
*"Ginger Meggs" 1948
*"God Bless Australia" 1961 It was used in a film-theatre advertisement which was run during the 1960s by the then Australian petrol company, Ampol and sung to the tune of "Waltzing Matilda". [cite web|url = http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/WM/Anthem.html | title = Waltzing Matilda and the National Anthem| work = Roger Clarke's Waltzing Matilda site|publisher = Roger Clarke|date = 10 September 2003|accessdate = 2008-05-09]

In the 1940s and 1950s, O’Hagan wrote many radio commercials and campfire songs. However, the combination of the rising popularity of rock and roll and television ended to his career. [cite web|url = http://www.davidspicer.com/atrtg.htm#JOH|title = The Jack O'Hagan story| publisher = David Spicer Productins| accessdate = 2008-05-09]

Despite writing songs about the town O'Hagan first visited Gundagai in 1956 when he was guest of honour at the centenary celebrations of the town. [cite news|url = http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,26058,21180297-5012670,00.html|title = Beyond the Tuckerbox|last = Llewellyn|first = Marc|date = 4 February 2007|accessdate = 2008-05-08|publisher = News Limited|work = Travel (Australia)]

O’Hagan was awarded the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1973.

References

External links

* [http://nla.gov.au/nla.cs-ma-ANL%3AMA~704339 Music Australia Biography: Jack O'Hagan]