he took his degree of B.A., and nothing stood between him and a fellowship but the prospect of marriage—celibacy being then enjoined on the Fellows. In 1818 he was ordained, and undertook the temporary charge of Castleknock parish, and in 1820 he was happily married. Passing over temporary engagements, we find him in 1832 receiving a few pupils on high terms, and acting as Chaplain of the Dublin Female Orphan Home. In this latter position the true nobility and simplicity of his character became known to Archbishop Whately, who in 1832 appointed him domestic chaplain and secretary: next year the living of St. Anne's (now held by his son, the Rev. H. H. Dickinson, Dean of the Chapel Royal) was conferred uponhim. There was a remarkable agreement in tastes and views between the Archbishop and Mr. Dickinson. They united in promoting the National School system, which commended itself to them as the best attainable, and one it was the duty of Irish Protestants heartily to accept. Upon the death of Bishop Alexander, in 1840, Mr. Dickinson was, much to his surprise, appointed by Government to the vacant see of Meath, without the solicitation of the Archbishop or any of his friends. He was consecrated in Christ Church on 27th December, but adorned the position only long enough to show what he might have effected for the Church had his life been prolonged. Fever carried him off eighteen months after his appointment, on 12th July 1842, aged 49. He was buried at Ardbraccan. His loss was one of the most severe afflictions of Archbishop Whately's life. Writing to the son of the deceased, the Archbishop says: "What he was to me, God and I only know, and I feel that to indulge any selfish grief for a private friend, when the Church has sustained such a loss, would be very unlike his public-spirited character." The Bishop's Remains were edited in 1845 by his son-in-law, the Rev, John West, afterwards Dean of St. Patrick's. 103
Dicuil the Geographer, an Irish writer who flourished in the 9th century. His De Mensura Orhis Terrœ was written in 825, and published for the first time at Paris in 1807, by M. Walckenaer, from the MS. in the Imperial Library. Another edition, with critical notes, by M. Letronne, appeared in 1814, and one by Gustavus Parthey at Berlin in 1870. He also wrote De Decern Questionibus Artis Grammaticœ. There is a full account of Dicuil and of these works in a paper by Rev. William Reeves, D.D., in the Irish Ecclesiastical Journal, October 1848. 192 233 339
Dillon, Sir Henry. The Dillon or Delion family are said by Lodge to be descended from an Irish monarch of the 6th century. An ancestor of the family was obliged to flee to France, on account of some misdeed, and settled there. The subject of this notice came to Ireland in 1185 as secretary to Prince John, and was granted large territories belonging to the MacCarrons, MacGeoghegans, and O'Melaghlins, comprising the present County of Longford and the adjacent country. This territory was called Dillon's Country until reduced into shire ground by Henry VIII., when it was divided into the Barony of Kilkenny West, and others. Sir Henry built a mansion house and church at Drumraney, and abbeys at Athlone, Holy Island, Hare Island, and elsewhere. He was buried in the abbey of Athlone. He married a daughter of John de Courcy, Earl of Ulster. His descendants were ennobled in 1619 in the person of Sir James Dillon, created Lord Dillon, Baron of Kilkenny West, advanced in 1622 to the dignity of Earl of Roscommon. 216
Dillon, Theobald, Viscount (descended from Sir Henry Dillon), a zealous supporter of Queen Elizabeth in her Irish wars, in 1559 commanded an independent troop in the royal cause, and received the honour of knighthood on the field of battle. In 1582 Theobald was appointed Collector-General of the composition money in Connaught and Thomond, and in 1621-'2 was by James I. created Viscount Dillon of Costello-Gallen. He died 15th March 1624, "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." 216
Dillon, Thomas, 4th Viscount, was born about 1614, and succeeded to his estates 15th March 1635-'6. Bred a Catholic, at fifteen he became a Protestant, and subsequently took his seat in Parliament, and was raised to several offices of trust. Being on a mission to King Charles in February 1641-'2, he was, with Lord Taaffe, seized at Ware by order of the House of Commons. After some months' imprisonment, they escaped and joined the King at York. Upon Dillon's return to Ireland, he was made Lieutenant-General, and was appointed joint President of Connaught with Viscount Wilmot. On the 6th December 1646 he was received back into the Catholic Church by the Nuncio, Rinnuccini, at St. Mary's, Kilkenny, in presence of a vast concourse of people. He commanded one division of Ormond's army which was defeated before Dublin by the Parliamentary leader. General Jones, in
149
