James Dillon (Fine Gael politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Dillon
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Dillion, c. 1930s
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| Leader of the Opposition | |
| In office 21 October 1959 – 21 April 1965 |
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| President | Éamon de Valera |
| Taoiseach | Seán Lemass |
| Preceded by | John A. Costello |
| Succeeded by | Liam Cosgrave |
| Leader of Fine Gael | |
| In office 21 March 1959 – 21 April 1965 |
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| Preceded by | Richard Mulcahy |
| Succeeded by | Liam Cosgrave |
| Minister for Agriculture | |
| In office 2 June 1954 – 20 March 1957 |
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| Taoiseach | John A. Costello |
| Preceded by | Thomas Walsh |
| Succeeded by | Frank Aiken |
| In office 18 February 1948 – 13 June 1951 |
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| Taoiseach | John A. Costello |
| Preceded by | Paddy Smith |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Walsh |
| Teachta Dála | |
| In office July 1937 – June 1969 |
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| Constituency | Monaghan |
| In office February 1932 – July 1937 |
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| Constituency | Donegal |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 26 September 1902 North Great George's Street, Dublin, Ireland |
| Died | 10 February 1986 (aged 83) Ballaghaderreen, County Roscommon, Ireland |
| Political party | Fine Gael (1933–42, 1952–86) |
| Other political affiliations |
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| Spouse |
Maura Phelan
(m. 1943) |
| Children | 1 |
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| Alma mater |
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James Mathew Dillon (born 26 September 1902 – died 10 February 1986) was an important Irish politician. He was a member of the Fine Gael political party. From 1959 to 1965, he was the Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of Fine Gael. He also served as Minister for Agriculture twice, from 1948 to 1951 and again from 1954 to 1957. James Dillon was a Teachta Dála (TD), which means a member of the Irish parliament, for many years, from 1932 to 1969.
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Early Life and Family
James Dillon was born in Dublin, Ireland, on North Great George's Street. His father, John Dillon, was a well-known politician who led the Irish Parliamentary Party. His mother was Elizabeth Mathew.
James went to school at Mount St Benedict's in Gorey, County Wexford. He then studied at University College Dublin and King's Inns. In 1931, he became a barrister, which is a type of lawyer who argues cases in court.
Before becoming a politician, James Dillon also studied business. He worked at famous stores like Selfridges in London and Marshall Field's in Chicago. After that, he came back to Ireland. He managed his family's business, called Monica Duff's, in Ballaghaderreen, County Roscommon.
Marriage and Personal Life
In 1942, James Dillon met Maura Phelan from Clonmel while on holiday. They got engaged very quickly, just a few days after meeting. Six weeks later, they were married. James was 40 years old, and Maura was 22.
James Dillon's Political Journey
James Dillon began his political career in 1932. He was elected as a TD for the Donegal area. At first, he was part of the National Centre Party. This party later joined with another party called Cumann na nGaedheal. Together, they formed a new, bigger party called Fine Gael.
Dillon played a big part in creating Fine Gael. He became a very important member of the party. From 1937 until he retired in 1969, he was a TD for the Monaghan area. He also served as the deputy leader of Fine Gael under W. T. Cosgrave.
Standing Up During World War II
In 1942, James Dillon left Fine Gael. This was because he disagreed with the party's view on Irish neutrality during World War II. Neutrality meant that Ireland chose not to take sides in the war. While Fine Gael supported this decision, Dillon strongly believed that Ireland should support the Allies (like Britain and the USA).
He was very passionate about fighting against the Nazis. He called the Nazi way of thinking "the devil himself with twentieth-century efficiency." Because of his strong views, the German Minister to Ireland, Eduard Hempel, even criticized him. Dillon was a powerful speaker and wasn't afraid to speak his mind.
In 1944, as the war started to turn in favor of the Allies, Fine Gael asked Dillon to rejoin the party. They even offered him the leadership role. However, he refused because they wanted him to change his views on neutrality.
Minister for Agriculture
Even though he was an independent politician for a while, James Dillon was a key part of the first "inter-party government" from 1948 to 1951. In this government, he was appointed Minister for Agriculture.
As Minister, Dillon made big improvements to farming in Ireland. Money was spent on projects to improve less fertile land. He also helped increase the overall quality of Irish farm products.
Dillon rejoined Fine Gael in May 1952. He became Minister for Agriculture again in the second inter-party government, which lasted from 1954 to 1957.
Leading Fine Gael
In 1959, James Dillon became the leader of the Fine Gael party. He took over from Richard Mulcahy. He also became the president of the party in 1960.
In the 1965 general election, Fine Gael lost to Seán Lemass and the Fianna Fáil party. After this election, Dillon decided to step down as the leader of Fine Gael.
Views on Northern Ireland
James Dillon was against the division of Ireland, known as Partition. However, he strongly opposed using violence or armed groups to try and unite the country. He believed that people needed to win over the hearts of the people living in Northern Ireland.
Later Life and Retirement
James Dillon was known for his lively contributions to discussions in the Dáil (the Irish parliament). He was also famous for his excellent public speaking skills. He continued to serve as a TD until 1969, when he retired from politics.
James Dillon passed away in Ballaghaderreen, County Roscommon, in 1986. He was 83 years old.
