The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-11-05
THAT OF THE DILLONS is FAMOUS IN
MILITARY ANNALS.
IlLusrRIoys IN The CONTINENTAL WARS
DISTINGUISHED TIIEMSELyES IN THE,
SERVICE OF FRANCE.
JAMES DILLON, THE KNIGHT OF MALTA
DIED A SOLDIERS DEATH AT THE
BATTLE OF FONTENOY.

The following sketch of the Dillon
family is taken in condensed form from
an article in Belfast paper:
From the time when the valor of Nj
all's and Dathis coulined warriors elicit
ed the 'groans of the Britons" to the
day that the Irritated Southerner ex-
claimed, "rhere's that d-n green flag
again!" the Irish have proved themselves
the finest soldiers in the world. Assign
ing all due merit to the efforts of the
volunteers and the struggles of the in
surgents, what dreary and doleful rec
ord would be the history of this isle Of
ours during the Eighteenth century-the
century of the penal laws, of scorned and
prosecuted people, and Of hunted sog-
garths, were it not illumined by the
proWess of our gallant wild Geese and
Irish Brigades!" And then the grand
row of heroic names that rises before us
as we recall the glories of Cremona and
Fontenoy. and the other grand old vic
tor fields we thrill to name'-Lally, Nu-
gent, Dillon, ODonnell, Taafe, Wall,
ORellly, O'Brien, Burke, MacMahon, and
the rest Of their valorous countrymen
What galaxy Of brilliant stars around
the brow of old Fire! Or all the eight
ing Irish" families, few were more pro-
life of warlike celebrities than that of
Dillon; and in the profession of arms the
warlille members of this family attained
high honor in the service CT the then
greatest military nation in Europe, both
in the court and on the field outstripping
many of the brave and fiery old French
noblcsse in the race for fame. Although
coming to Ireland as military adventure
ers, like the Strongbownians, the billions
claimed for themselves an original Irish
descent, which Lodge duly assigns them
in his peerage.
The story runs that Lochan or Logan,
son of Hugh Slaine, of the race of the
O'Neills, monarch of Ireland towards the
close of the Sixth century, having killed
his cousin, Colman Kimidh, whom his
father had associated with him in the
government of Ireland, was therefore
Deloun or Dillon, which signifies brave
or valiant. Heating says also that Col
man Rimidh (not KINDLY, was slain by
Lochan Diolmhain. In order to escape
the anger Of the king, his father, this
Lochan Dillon fled to foreign countries,
and entered the military service of the
duke of Aquitaine, who was at war with
the king Of France. The duke, having
been successful in his wars, gave his
daughter in marriage to Lochan who
eventually became prince Of Aquitaine on
the death of his ducal father-i in-law, who
had no male children. Lochan's descend
ants ruled for a long time in Aquitaine,
but were disposscssed in tho Twelfth
century by William, Of the house of Ber-
gnndy, whose daughter Eleanor married
Henry II. Of England. The latter, who
thus inherited Aquitalne, deemed 1t pr,,-
dent to remove the last of his former
princes, two male children named Henry
and Thomas, to England where they
were suitably educated, and on coming
of age Henry was knighted Sir Henry
Diloune came to Ireland as first gentle
man and secretary to the young roue
John Lakeland, afterwards King John,
when that scion of questionable royalty
came with his rowdy young lords to pull
the boards Of the Irish chicftains; and
John kindly bestowed on his attentive
secretary a lot of other peoples prop
erty-to-wit, the territory of Corkny, in
Westmeath, which originally belonged
to the Irish MacCarrons, and part of
Analy-that is, the present County Long
ford. Even at that time the billions were
extraordinarily prolific, and in short
time they became very numerous in Ire
land. In 1914 Sir Henry Dillon founded
a convent for Franciscans at Athlone;
and about 1860 the billions founded an
other for Carmelites at Ardnecran, in
Westmcath. During the various stormy
periods that ensued from the twelfth
century down to Elizabeth's time, the
and they were generally found on the
English side. Richard Dillon of Pretes-
town, got a share of the abeby of Bectiye,
in Westmeath, in 1854; and Lucas Dillon
got share of the same abbey on di-
vision of it's possessions made in 1878. In
1919 Sir Robert Dillon, a descendant Of
of Gerald Dillon, Of Drumrany, by
created baron of Kilkenny West by
James in reward for his loyalty
and in 1922 the same king c:eated
him earl of Rcscommon. He had
some illustrious descendants. but the
earldom is now extinct, and it is with
another branch of the family we have
to become acquainted. In 1921 King
James created Sir Thcobald Dillon, de-
scendant OF Sir Maurice Dillon. yiscount
Of Costello-Gallen (two baronies in
County Mayo), the royal patent bearing
/ date March 14. (1621-2).