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"Imagination's Stain: Historical Reflections on Sectarian Australia" was to be Patrick O'Farrells' next book. It was incomplete, but exciting and informative, and as such, we thought it should be made publicly available... It can be downloaded free from this site, by simply registering - and if you wish to cite any of the material we would simply ask that you observe the referencing formats provided.

As the manuscript was an early draft rather than a final version, I have done extensive minor editing on the text itself. Some of the later chapters in particular were incomplete so the aim of the editing was to make the text flow a bit better without interfering with the original style. I have also added a few (but not many) footnotes.

You will also notice I have added an Editor's preface.  If there are further acknowledgements that need to be added please let me know, and we can update the material.

The original title was 'Imagination's Stain: A History of Sectarian Australia 1788-2002'. It had been suggested that the first part of the title was too obscure - but I think the title the manuscript currently has: 'Sectarian's Stain' is even more obscure and given that this is not going to be published as a book to be marketed, I have returned to the first title but with a modification:
'Imagination's Stain: Historical Reflections on Sectarian Australia'. The subtitle reflecting that the manuscript is unfinished and an early draft.

Clare O'Farrell