# O'Hara — The Gold Bat character guide

> O'Hara in The Gold Bat by P. G. Wodehouse.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Donough O'Hara

**First appearance:** 0000-i-the-fifteenth-place

## Snapshot

Lighthearted Irish descendant of the O'Haras of Castle Taterfields, whose rule is never to refuse a free tea — and who borrowed Trevor's gold bat.

## Who they are

O'Hara moves through Wrykyn with cheerful mischief, scratching algebra engagements for free teas and boxing with Moriarty in the gymnasium. He is the last person known to have held Trevor's gold bat, which makes him both suspect and sleuth, and his housemaster would happily see him drowned. His detective ambitions and reckless curiosity push the mystery forward while placing him squarely in danger of expulsion.

## In the story

### [The Gold Bat](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_gold_bat_se/chapters/ii-the-gold-bat)

A member of Dexter's house, known for breaking rules, currently in possession of Trevor's gold bat.

### [III: The Mayor’s Statue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_gold_bat_se/chapters/iii-the-mayor-s-statue)

Visits Trevor's study, recounts his rag on the French master and the tarring of Sir Eustace Briggs' statue, and discovers he has lost the gold bat.

### [With the Compliments of the League](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_gold_bat_se/chapters/vii-with-the-compliments-of-the-league)

Visits Trevor's study, learns of the wreck, and shares a newspaper cutting about the statue outrage.

### [O'Hara on the Track](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_gold_bat_se/chapters/viii-o-hara-on-the-track)

Takes the lead in investigating the League, using his memory of past events and coordinating with Moriarty to gather information.

### [Mainly About Ferrets](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_gold_bat_se/chapters/ix-mainly-about-ferrets)

Discovers Renford and Harvey with ferrets in the vault; shares his plan to catch the League and swears the boys to secrecy; waits in the vault until lockup but leaves too early; later discusses strategy with Moriarty at the gymnasium.

### [XIII: Victim Number Three](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_gold_bat_se/chapters/xiii-victim-number-three)

At risk of expulsion if the gold bat incident is revealed; Trevor and Clowes decide not to inform him.

### [XVII: The Watchers in the Vault](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_gold_bat_se/chapters/xvii-the-watchers-in-the-vault)

Leads the spying mission in the vault, recalls a childhood memory of a trapdoor, and orchestrates the escape.

### [XVIII: O'Hara Excels Himself](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_gold_bat_se/chapters/xviii-o-hara-excels-himself)

Executes a daring plan to rescue the ferrets by getting expelled from class, then hides them behind the fives-court.

### [A Dress Rehearsal](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_gold_bat_se/chapters/xxii-a-dress-rehearsal)

Trains with the punching ball, advises Trevor against last-minute boxing lessons, and spars with him to give him practical experience.

### [What Renford Saw](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_gold_bat_se/chapters/xxiii-what-renford-saw)

Fights Rand-Brown in a fives-court, winning by knockout in the sixth round; later convinces Trevor that the fight was his own business.

### [Conclusion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_gold_bat_se/chapters/xxiv-conclusion)

Shows Clowes and Trevor the Wrykyn Patriot article; celebrates that the town fight diverts suspicion from their earlier tarring of the statue.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_gold_bat_se/characters/o_hara
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_gold_bat_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_gold_bat_se/characters