Dillon, John. Irish political leader. Born in Dublin 1851. Educated at the Catholic university of that city. He assisted Parnell and Michael Davitt in founding the Land League in America and, in 1880, was elected to parliament for County Tipperary, a position his father, John Blake Dillon, had previously held. Retiring for a time by reason of ill health, Dillon again entered parliament in 1885 as member for East Mayo, which he continued to represent for more than 30 years. Under Lord Sallisbury's administration of 1886, he took, as leader of the Irish Party, a prominent part in opposition to the government, and was twice convicted under the Irish Crimes Act. From 1896 to 1899 he was chairman of the Irish Nationalist Party. In 1918 he succeeded John Redmond as chairman of the Irish League.

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