Theobald Dillon, 1st Viscount Dillon

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 born very approximately about 1530, probably at Ballynakill, the habitual home of his father and grandfather. He was the third son of Thomas Dillon and his wife Margery Dillon, also called Mary. His father was the eldest son of his grandfather James Dillon, nicknamed the Prior, 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. His father's family as 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.

Theobald appears below among his brothers as the third son:
 * 1) Gerald;
 * 2) Edmund;
 * 3)  Theobald (died 1624), the subject of this article;
 * 4) Garret, a captain of an independent troop, ancestor of Garrett Dillon, Recorder of Dublin. and
 * 5) James, from whom descend the Dillons of Ballynakill and other Dillon cadet branches.

He had three sisters:
 * 1) Rose, who married Thomas Dillon, son and successor to Gerald of Drumrany;
 * 2) Catherine, who married Edmund Fitz-Edmund Dillon of Kilcomane; and
 * 3) Bridget, who married a Dalton of Moyvannane.

In 1559 Theobald commanded an independent force.

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.

They had 19 children, eight sons (some say seven) and 11 daughters, including:
 * 1) Christopher (died 28 Feb. 1623/4), who married the eldest daughter of James Dillon, 1st Earl of Roscommon and became the father of the 2nd Viscount and the 4th Viscount;
 * 2) Lucas, ancestor of the 7th and later viscounts;
 * 3) William;
 * 4) Thomas;
 * 5) Cicely, who became the first Abbess of the Poor Clares in Ireland;
 * 6) James (c. 1600 – 1669), who was the 8th and youngest son;
 * 7) Katherine, who married Sir Ulick Burke, 1st Baronet;
 * 8) Anne, who was the mother of Theobald Taaffe, 1st Earl of Carlingford; and
 * 9) Jane, who married Hugh O'Conor of Castlereagh.

Later life
In 1582 in the context of the Composition of Connacht, a surrender and regrant action, Sir Dillon was made collector-general of the composition money in Connacht and Thomond. During this period of the 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 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 Dubhaltach Caoch Mac Coisdealbhaigh (Dudley Costello) against the Dillons in the seventeenth century.

He fought under the Earl of Essex in the Nine Years' War (1593–1603) and was knighted by him on 24 July 1599. 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".

On 19 July 1608, King James I gave him the manor and town of Kilfaughny in County Westmeath. where he then lived and finally died.

On 16 March 1621/2, 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. Gallen and Costello form the title's territorial designation. They are baronies of County Mayo.

According to some sources, he held the title of Lord President of Connaught from c. 1621 on; but this was also held by Charles Wilmot from 1616–1644.

Death and succession
Lord Dillon died on 15 March 1623/4 "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." Christopher, his eldest son, died on 28 February about two weeks before his father and predeceased him never succeeded his father. On the first Viscount's death, the title therefore passed to his grandson Lucas, Christopher's eldest son.

Notes and references

 * – Abdy to Hutchinson
 * - DACRE to DYSART (for Dillon)
 * - Scotland and Ireland
 * - Viscounts
 * - Viscounts