O'Rourke was born in Ratheniska, County Laois.[1] He was married and had three children, with whom he lived in Magherabaun, Feakle. O'Rourke taught Irish Studies or Irish Heritage at Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology.
Works
O'Rourke published two volumes with collections of Irish songs.[2] These songs were frequently performed by Sean nós singers.
As a composer, he was best known for "The Bhodrán song" (when I grow up), included on the album The Very Best of Irish Ballads (ARC Music 2015) and Chantal du Champignon.[5]
In the book chapter "County Mayo in Gaelic Folk Song", O´Rourke identifies a series of characters in the history of County Mayo that are remembered through folk songs.[6]
Seán Mac Aoidh, murder suspect and ascribed author of the poem Sail Og Rua
^O'Rourke, Brian (1985). Blas meala : a sip from the honey-pot : a selection of Gaelic folksongs with prose translations and verse equivalents. Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland: Irish Academic Press. ISBN0-7165-2357-4. OCLC13396163.
^O'Rourke, Brian (1990). Pale rainbow : a selection of Gaelic folksongs with prose translations and verse equivalents = An Dubh ina bhán. Blackrock, Co. Dublin: Irish Academic Press. ISBN0-7165-2425-2. OCLC22422317.
