A journalist, critic and writer, Frank Donohue had been a lay brother in a Roman Catholic teaching order before becoming a journalist. He edited various country papers before joining the staff of the
Picturesque Atlas of Australia, and later wrote for the
Bulletin. About 1888, he joined the staff of Fairfax organisation, and besides working as a leader writer for the
Sydney Morning Herald, Donohue contributed stories, reviews and news items to the weekly
Sydney Mail.
