Theobald Dillon, 1st Viscount Dillon

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Theobald Dillon, 1st Viscount Dillon (died 1624), was an Irish military commander and adventurer. He held extensive lands in eastern Connacht and north-western Leinster, some acquired by sharp practices. He was a loyal supporter of Elizabeth I of England in her Irish wars.

Birth and origins

Theobald was probably born at Ballynakill, the habitual home of his father and grandfather. He was the third son of Thomas DillonTemplate:Sfn and his wife Margery Dillon of Kilmore, also called Mary.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn His father was the eldest son of his grandfather James Dillon, nicknamed the Prior,Template:Sfn because he took care of several monastic properties at the dissolution of the monasteries. His father's side of the family descended from Lord Dillon of Drumraney, County Westmeath. Theobald's mother was a daughter of Christopher Dillon of Kilmore.[1] His father's family like his mother's family were branches of the same widespread Old English family that descends from Sir Henry Dillon who came to Ireland with Prince John in 1185.Template:Sfn

Theobald listed among his brothers
He appears among his brothers as the third son:
  1. Gerald, married Cicely, daughter of a Dillon of High Baskin, County WestmeathTemplate:Sfn
  2. Edmund, lived in Ardnagrath Castle, County WestmeathTemplate:Sfn
  3. Theobald (died 1624)
  4. Garret, a captain of an independent troop, ancestor of Garrett Dillon, Recorder of DublinTemplate:Sfn
  5. James, from whom descend the Dillons of Ballynakill and some other Dillon cadet branchesTemplate:Sfn
List of Theobald's sisters
Theobald had three sisters:
  1. Rose, married Thomas Dillon, son and successor to Gerald of DrumranyTemplate:Sfn
  2. Catherine, married Edmund Fitz-Edmund Dillon of KilcomaneTemplate:Sfn
  3. Bridget, married a Dalton of MoyvannaneTemplate:Sfn
Family tree
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In 1559 Theobald commanded an independent force.Template:Sfn

Marriage and children

Theobald Dillon married Eleanor Tuite. So far the sources agree. However, she is either the widow or the daughter of William Tuite according to sources.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Script error: No such module "anchor". Theobald and Eleanor had 19 children, eight sons:Template:SfnTemplate:Efn

  1. Christopher (died 28 February 1624), the eldest, married the eldest daughter of James Dillon, 1st Earl of Roscommon and became the father of the 2nd Viscount and the 4th ViscountTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn
  2. Lucas (1579–1656), ancestor of the 7th and later viscountsTemplate:Sfn
  3. William, denominated of TolchanTemplate:Sfn
  4. Thomas, denominated of BrackloonTemplate:Sfn
  5. Edward, became a Franciscan friarTemplate:Sfn
  6. George, also became a Franciscan friar[2]
  7. John, became an officer in the army and died unmarriedTemplate:Sfn
  8. James (c. 1600 – in or after 1669), the 8th and youngest son, who became an army officerTemplate:Sfn

—and 11 daughters:

  1. Rose, died youngTemplate:Sfn
  2. Margaret, married Robert Dillon of Cannestown,Template:Sfn son of Thomas Dillon, who was a brother of Lucas Dillon, the judgeTemplate:Sfn
  3. Anne, married John, Viscount Taaffe, and was the mother of Theobald Taaffe, 1st Earl of CarlingfordTemplate:Sfn
  4. Katherine, married Sir Ulick Burke of Glinsk, 1st BaronetTemplate:Sfn
  5. Mary, married Gerald Pettyt of Mullingar in County WestmeathTemplate:Sfn
  6. Elizabeth, married Thomas Fitzgerald of Newcastle in County LongfordTemplate:Sfn
  7. Jane, married Hugh O'Conor of CastlereaghTemplate:Sfn
  8. Eleanor (died 1629), became a nun with the Poor ClaresTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn
  9. Cecily (c. 1603 – 1653), became the first Abbess of the Poor Clares in Ireland[3]Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
  10. Bridget, died unmarriedTemplate:Sfn
  11. Barbara, died unmarried[4]

Later life

In 1582 in the context of the Composition of Connacht, a surrender and regrant action, Dillon was appointed collector-general of the composition money in Connacht and Thomond.Template:Sfn During this period of the English reconquest in Connacht, Dillon was involved in some sharp practices with the local landholders. In particular, he persuaded the various Costello freeholders of the Barony of Costello in eastern County Mayo, to save expense and ensure the smooth legal transfer, to allow him to surrender their lands for them in one land-title in the Surrender and regrant process and had it regranted in his own name, becoming the legal landowner in the process. He never returned this title to the lands to the native owners, which would lead to rapparee actions by Dudley Costello (or Costellogh) against the Dillons in the 1660s.Template:Sfn

He fought under the Earl of Essex in the Nine Years' War (1593–1603) and was knighted by him on 24 July 1599.Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Efn To put this into perspective it should be said that Theobald was already in his sixties and that Essex knighted a great many people and was mocked by saying "he never drew sword but to make knights".Template:Sfn

On 19 July 1608, King James I gave him a patent confirming the possession of the manor and town of Kilfaughny in County WestmeathTemplate:Sfn where he then lived and finally died.

On 16 March 1622, King James I created him Viscount Dillon of Costello-Gallen, cementing his legal title. He became the first of a long succession of viscounts Dillon. The territorial designation "Costello-Gallen" refers to the baronies of Gallen and Costello in County Mayo.Template:Sfn

Lord Dillon, as he now was, held the title of Lord President of Connaught from c. 1621 on, which he shared with Charles Wilmot, who held that same title from 1616 to 1644.Template:Sfn

Death, succession, and timeline

Lord Dillon died on 15 March 1624Template:Sfn in Kilfaughny in County Westmeath. It is said that he died "at so advanced an age, that at one time he had the satisfaction of seeing above an hundred of his descendants in his house of Killenfaghny".Template:Sfn Christopher, his eldest son, died on 28 February[5] about two weeks before his father and therefore never succeeded his father. On the first Viscount's death, the title, therefore, passed to his grandson Lucas, Christopher's eldest son.Template:Sfn

Timeline
As his birth date is uncertain, so are all his ages.
Age Date Event
0 1530, estimate Born.Template:Efn
Script error: No such module "age". 1558, 17 Nov Accession of Queen Elizabeth I, succeeding Queen Mary ITemplate:Sfn
Script error: No such module "age". 1559 Commanded an independent force.[6]
Script error: No such module "age". 1582 Made collector-general of the composition money.[7]
Script error: No such module "age". 1599, 24 Jul Knighted by Essex.[8]
Script error: No such module "age". 1603, 24 Mar Accession of King James I, succeeding Queen Elizabeth ITemplate:Sfn
Script error: No such module "age". 1608, 19 Jul James I gave him a patent for Kilfaughny house.[9]
Script error: No such module "age". 1622, 16 Mar Created Viscount Dillon of Costello-Gallen.[10]
Script error: No such module "age". 1624, 28 Feb Eldest son, Christopher, died.[5]
Script error: No such module "age". 1624, 15 Mar Died at Kilfaughny and was succeeded by his grandson Lucas.[11]

Notes and references

Notes

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Citations

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  2. ↑ Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
  3. ↑ Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
  4. ↑ Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
  5. ↑ a b Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
  6. ↑ Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
  7. ↑ Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
  8. ↑ Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
  9. ↑ Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
  10. ↑ Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".
  11. ↑ Cite error: Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".Script error: No such module "Namespace detect".

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Sources

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  • Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". – Abdy to Hutchinson (for Dillon)
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  • Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". – Dacre to Dysart (for Dillon)
  • Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". – Scotland and Ireland
  • Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". – (for timeline)
  • Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  • Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". – Viscounts (for Dillon)
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Peerage of Ireland
New creation Viscount Dillon
1622–1624 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
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