
New book tells story of world famous Irish journalist you've never heard of
Now a new book about the newspaperman who rose from the slums of Victorian Dublin to become a world renowned war correspondent brings him to life.
Author Kevin Rafter tells Emile Dillon's story in his book Dillon Rediscovered, where he charts his life and career. He recounts how Dillon witnessed some of the most dramatic events in history, such as the assassination of a Russian tsar and bloody massacres in Armenia.
Dillon was born Emile Joseph Dillon in 1854 and grew up near Dublin's Four Courts, the son of a hardware store owner. His father was a devout Catholic who wanted his son to be a priest, but Dillon had other academic ambitions.
He travelled to Europe and then on to Russia, where he made his name as an authority on the vast country. He was friends with literary figures such as Leo Tolstoy.
He rose to prominence as special correspondent with the Daily Telegraph. He was also a political advisor, author and academic.
The book draws on never-seen-before letters and notebooks, to reveal a complicated personal life including marriages in Russia and Bulgaria and family conflict. He died in Barcelona in 1933.
Here, author Kevin Rafter gives Irish Mirror readers the run down on the great Irish journalist.
Emile was a famous newspaper journalist. He was born into a poor family in Dublin in 1854 but died a wealthy man in 1933. In between, he lived a remarkable life. He knew all the powerful politicians in Europe and beyond.
For someone so influential, he actually had a soft voice and a quiet manner. He was an expert story-teller and was known for his vast store of anecdotes. He also loved Turkish cigarettes.
The Dillon family lived in a small house behind the Four Courts. The house co-existed with a hardware shop owned by Emile's father. It was open from 7 am to 10 pm seven days a week. Tools cluttered the cobblestoned street outside the house. They also filled the living room in the house.
Life was hard. Emile thought Dublin was 'dull and drab'. But he did have some happy childhood memories. He loved outings to the Strawberry Beds, the Phoenix Park and travelling by jaunting car to a fair in Donnybrook. He remembered the sights and sounds of bagpipes, tumblers of Guinness, ginger beer bottles, and the beating of drums.
Emile's father was a deeply religious man and he desperately wanted his only son to become a priest. He. So in 1868, the 15-year old Emile arrived at Clonliffe College in north Dublin. He hated the experience, and he left a few months later. As a result, Emile fell out with his father and over the next decade he led a wanderlust life across Europe. He eventually settled in Russia where he lived hand-to-mouth by teaching English and translating documents. He was also writing for some local newspapers. His life then took another dramatic turn when he was appointed as a foreign correspondent with the Daily Telegraph of London.
He became one of the giants of Fleet Street at a time when the papers were the only source of news. He reported on huge stories like the Armenia massacres in the 1890s, the Boxer Rising in China, the Russian Revolution and World War I.
He also reported on the second trial of Captain Alfred Dreyfus. Many people believed Dreyfus had been wrongly convicted of treason for allegedly passing military secrets to the German embassy in Paris. It was a huge international story. Emile wrote three to six articles every day. One colleague said he was such 'a demon for work' that it was 'a marvel that his hand has not long ago been crippled with writer's cramp.'
Emile was the highest paid foreign correspondent at the Daily Telegraph. His notebooks list purchases including, cigars a sailor suit for his youngest son, whiskey, writing paper, silk handkerchiefs, gloves, ink, collars, ties and a top hat. All these expenses were charged to his employer. I think it's fair to say these were the glory days of foreign correspondents.
When he was on foreign assignments he often faced travel restrictions imposed on journalists. So he would dress up, sometimes as a woman, a priest, even a tribal chief. When he was reporting on a rebellion in Crete he dressed as a Greek monk. Because he spoke some Italian, Emile was thrust into ceasefire talks as an interpreter between the rebels and an Italian admiral who was part of an international peacekeeping force. The admiral was clearly convinced by the disguise. When they parted he picked up Emile's rifle and handed it to him. 'I gave him my blessing as devoutly as I knew how,' Emile admitted.
He married a Russian widow and they had three sons. But he neglected his family. He was a workaholic and was always travelling to the next foreign story.
His relations with his various secretaries were also a source of gossip. When he divorced his wife in Paris in 1913, a year later he married his secretary in Romania. He had 'serious misgivings' because of their age difference. Kathleen was only 26. Emile was turning 60. But it was a genuine love affair. He ordered a wedding ring for Kathleen made from 'the finest Russian gold'.
Kevin Rafter is Full Professor of Political Communication at DCU and author of Dillon Rediscovered, which is published this week. The former journalist has worked for the Irish Times and RTE, among many others. His book Dillon Rediscovered is out this week, priced €20.
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Irish Independent
2 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Dylan Keating puts rollercoaster behind him to top South of Ireland qualifiers at Lahinch
While his famous uncle Ronan, the Boyzone star who had a No 1 hit with Life Is a Rollercoaster, is the best known member of the Keating clan, the 23-year-old Drogheda man wants to make waves of his own in the amateur game after a few tough years. 'I felt like I was kind of under-performing there for a long time, and to come back home playing well this year, not that I expected to shoot a score like that, it was nice,' he said after adding a four under 68 to his opening 69 to top the 64 qualifiers for the matchplay by a shot on seven under. His four years at the University of Louisiana Lafayette were not always a smooth ride and he admits he considered quitting golf as he struggled with all aspects of his game before turning things around. 'I wouldn't be shy to say it's been a tough last few years," he said. 'I was in Houston last year playing an event, and I said to Mum and Dad, I think that's it for me in golf. 'Just mentally, I was struggling. I wasn't keeping the ball on the planet. My iron play was bad, my driver was terrible, and even my putting left me for a while. 'When I'm home and comfortable, I think that's what brings out the best of me, and that's probably why I struggled in America, just being homesick constantly.' The former Boys international harboured dreams of turning professional for a while but he's put those plans on hold for now and while he admits it's 'a stretch' he's hoping to win some big amateur events and get himself on the selectors' radar for next year's Walker Cup at Lahinch. 'I don't know if it's possible, but if I win a couple of these, I might have a chance,' he ventured. Set to face former champion Sean Desmond from Douglas in Friday's first round, he added: 'I've made the matchplay every year for the past few years and been knocked out in the first round. 'But I think my game is in a much different place, and mentally, I'm a lot different now and ready to give tomorrow a good run for a few days and be here on Sunday.' Dooks' Conor Hickey shot a sparkling 65, Tralee's Mark Gazi a 67, Ballybofey and Stranoloar's Ryan Griffin a 68 and Royal Dublin's Sean Downes a 72 to finish tied for second as just seven of the 14 players on two-over made the top 64 who qualified for the matchplay. It was also an important day for Fota Island's David Howard, the East of Ireland champion, who needed to make the matchplay to keep alive his hopes of winning an automatic Order off Merit spot in the Irish team for next month's Home Internationals at Woodhall Spa. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more After opening with a 75, Howard was five over for the championship with six holes to play but covered them in four-under and shot 70 to make the matchplay with a shot to spare on one-over. While Roscommon's Irish international Thomas Higgins missed the cut, all the big guns made the matchplay. Former Boys international Gazi (19), who is at Northwestern University in Chicago, made eight birdies in his 67 in just his second South of Ireland appearance. 'I've done a lot of match play, especially playing Boys Home internationals,' said Gazi, who is travelling with Tralee's Darren O'Sullivan (35), who shot a sparkling 67 to qualify in sixth place on five-under. 'Whoever you are playing, you've just goto to beat the man and make sure you do that. It doesn't matter how you do it, once you do.' Former winners Caolan Rafferty and Colm Campbell made it with ease while veterans such as Douglas' Karl Bornemann, Adare Manor's Pat Murray and Galway's Joe Lyons also came through. Hickey, who was joint second on six-under, was delighted to make it after making life tough for himself after an opening 73. 'It was a pretty big improvement over yesterday, anyway,' the 24-year-old said after a round featuring seven birdies and an eagle three at the fourth. 'I hit a few nice shots coming in and birdied the 16th and 18th Hopefully I am not out at the crack of dawn.' Pierse Motor Group South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship, Lahinch (Par 72) Matchplay draw Round one 7:00 Dylan Keating v Seán Desmond; 7:09 Eoin Magill v Benjamin Oberholzer; 7:18 Caolan Rafferty v Patrick Curran; 7:27 Jamie Butler v Joe O'Neill; 7:36 Adam Buchanan v Barry O'Connell; 7:45 Conor Clarke v Jordan Hood; 7:54 David Kitt v Robert Abernethy; 8:03 Charlie Cooley v David Reddan; 8:12 Ryan Griffin v Ross Latimer; 8:21 Eoin O'Carroll v Andrew McCormack; 8:30 Keith Egan v Dylan Holmes; 8:39 Niall Hearns v Jake Foley; 8:48 Sean Downes v Luke O'Neill; 8:57 Eoin Sullivan v Fionn Dobbin; 9:06 Jake Whelan v Jason Rackard; 9:15 Adam Smith v David Lally; 9:24 Conor Hickey v Joe Lyons; 9:33 Ben Cahill v Sean Barry; 9:42 Stephen Loftus v James Maginn; 9:51 Gavin O'Neill v Jonathan Keane; 10:00 Conor Stapleton v Tony Scroope ; 10:09 Richard Sykes v Graham Donohoe; 10:18 Paul O'Hanlon v James Walsh; 10:27 Colm Campbell v Karl Bornemann; 10:36 Mark Gazi v Thomas Abom; 10:45 Jamie Sutherland v Colin Woodroofe; 10:54 Jordan Boles v Darcy Hogg; 11:03 Ross McCormack v David Howard; 11:12 Darren O'Sullivan v Liam Abom; 11:21 TJ Ford v Joshua Hill; 11:30 Quentin Carew v Barry Howlin; 11:39 Mark Cadden v Pat Murray. Qualifiers 137 Dylan Keating (Seapoint) 69 68 (leading qualifier); 138 Conor Hickey (Dooks) 73 65, Mark Gazi (Tralee) 71 67, Ryan Griffin (Ballybofey & Stranorlar) 70 68, Sean Downes (Royal Dublin) 66 72; 139 Darren O'Sullivan (Tralee) 72 67, Conor Stapleton (Westport) 67 72, Adam Buchanan (Royal Portrush) 66 73; 140 David Kitt (Athenry) 71 69, Paul O'Hanlon (Carton House) 70 70, Quentin Carew (Castleknock)) 67 73; 141 Jake Whelan (Grange) 70 71, Keith Egan (Carton House) 70 71, Jordan Boles (Charleville) 69 72, Stephen Loftus (Lahinch) 69 72, Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk) 69 72; 142 Jamie Butler (Naas) 74 68, Gavin O'Neill (Malahide) 73 69, Ross McCormack (Palmerstown House Estate )72 70, Niall Hearns (Mountrath) 71 71, Adam Smith (Mullingar) 70 72, Mark Cadden (Roganstown) 69 73; 143 Colm Campbell (Warrenpoint) 75 68, Charlie Cooley (Belvoir Park) 75 68, Conor Clark (Balmoral) 74 69, Richard Sykes (Dun Laoghaire) 73 70, TJ Ford (Co Sligo) 72 71, Eoin Sullivan (Portmarnock) 72 71, Eoin O'Carroll (St Anne's) 71 72, Jamie Sutherlan (Galgorm Castle) 71 72, Ben Cahill (Dundalk) 71 72, Eoin Magill (East Clare) 70 73, Benjamin Oberholzer (Clandeboye) 69 74; 144 Sean Barry (Fota Island) 75 69, Colin Woodroofe (Dun Laoghaire) 75 69, Andrew McCormack (Castletroy) 74 70, Fionn Dobbin (Malone) 74 70, Joshua Hill (Galgorm Castle) 73 71, Graham Donohoe (Enniscorthy) 73 71, Jordan Hood (Galgorm Castle) 72 72, David Reddan (Castle(Knock)) 72 72, Karl Bornemann (Douglas) 72 72, Pat Murray (Adare Manor) 71 73, David Lally (Blainroe) 70 74; 145 Jake Foley (Elm Park) 76 69, David Howard (Fota Island) 75 70, Jonathan Keane (Lahinch) 75 70, Joe O'Neill Berehaven 74 71, Patrick Curran (Edmondstown) 73 72, James Maginn (Mourne) 73 72, Darcy Hogg (Belvoir Park) 73 72, Dylan Holmes (Greystones) 73 72, Jason Rackard (Bunclody) 72 73, Barry Howlin (The Heritage) 72 73, James Walsh (Douglas) 71 74, Robert Abernethy (Dun Laoghaire) 70 75, Barry O'Connell (Douglas) 70 75; 146 Tony Scroope (Nenagh) 75 71, Liam Abom (Edmondstown) 75 71, Luke O'Neill (Connemara) 74 72, Ross Latimer (Knock) 74 72, Thomas Abom (Edmondstown) 73 73, Joe Lyons (Galway) 73 73, Seán Desmond (Monkstown) 73 73. Non qualifiers 146 Darragh Flynn (Carton House) 72 74, Luke Cunningham (Galway Bay) 72 74, Ian O'Connell (Castleknock)) 72 74, Cathal MacCanna (Carton House) 72 74, Thomas Higgins (Roscommon) 72 74, John McCarthy (Grange) 71 75, Luke Kelly (Dunfanaghy) 69 77; 147 Andrew Gavin (Black Bush) 77 70, Morgan Cain (Cork) 76 71, Steven Gormley (Blainroe) 75 72, Thomas O'Connor (Athlone) 74 73, Ciaran Murphy (Grange) 73 74, Morgan Crowe (Elm Park) 73 74, Harry Gillivan (Portmarnock) 72 75, Charlie McDonnell (Concra Wood) 71 76; 148 Morgan O'Sullivan (Ballyneety) 75 73, Adam Challoner (Galway Bay) 75 73, Alan Fahy (Dun Laoghaire) 75 73, Rían Carvill (Warrenpoint) 73 75, James Marriott (West Surrey) 72 76; 149 Rory McConnell (Belvoir Park) 77 72, Aaron Naughton (Hermitage) 77 72, David Kelly (Millicent) 76 73, Padraig O Dochartaigh (Gweedore) 75 74, Paul Coughlan (Castleknock)) 75 74, Cian Poland (Elm Park) 75 74, Senan Carroll (Ballybunion) 74 75, David Shiel (Enniscrone) 74 75, Adam Allahbachani (Powerscourt) 73 76, Gary Collins (Rosslare) 73 76, Darren McCormack (Corrstown) 71 78, John Dillon (Lahinch) 71 78, Robbie Cannon (Balbriggan) 70 79; 150 Niall Conneely (Ballinasloe) 79 71, Sean Flanagan (Portmarnock) 78 72, Jonathan Kelly (Athy) 77 73, Jack McDonnell (Royal Dublin) 77 73, Shea Dorman (Bangor) 76 74, Jack Murphy (Douglas 76 74, Evan Monaghan (Tullamore) 75 75, Kevin Robinson (Castlewarden) 74 76, Colum Kenny (Portmarnock) 73 77; 151 Dan Byrne (The Els Club Dubai) 80 71, Cian O'Connor (Roscommon) 77 74, Danny Lyne (Lahinch) 74 77, Matthew Giles (Greenore) 73 78; 152 Jamie Larkin (Palmerstown) 79 73, William Josh Nicholl (Galgorm Castle) 78 74, Jamal Sabir (Moate) 77 75; 153 Adrian Hiney (Moate) 80 73, Samuel Gammell (Naas) 77 76, Andrew Barker (Corrstown) 76 77; 154 Eoin Murphy (Dundalk) 81 73, Conor McCarthy (Headfort) 80 74, Niels Knudsen (Lyngbygaard, Den) 80 74, Ryan Lyons (Blarney) 80 74, Mikie Grealy (Galway Bay) 78 76, Aodhagan Brady (Co Sligo) 75 79; 155 Cathal Penney (Athenry) 80 75, Seán McLoughlin (Co Sligo) 80 75, Peter Sheehan (Ballybunion) 78 77, Calum Ward (Carton House) 78 77, Julius Sommer (Zurich, SUI) 77 78, Sean Gallagher (Castleknock)) 77 78, Lucas Lyons (Limerick) 77 78; 156 Neil Patterson (Baltinglass) 81 75, Jack Doherty (Carton House) 80 76, Brian Thompson (Olympic Club, US) 80 76, Ciaran Gregan (Forrest Little) 79 77, Brian Doran (Millicent) 79 77, Lorcan O'Connor (Edmondstown) 78 78, Luke Furlong (Wexford) 78 78, Sean Murphy (Grange) 77 79; 157 David O'Malley (Black Bush) 85 72, Darren Kelleher (Blarney) 80 77, Robert Walsh (Douglas) 80 77, Greg O'Mahony (Fota Island) 77 80; 158 Luke O'Dwyer (Forrest Little) 83 75, Aaron McNulty (Lahinch) 80 78 159 Conor Dean (Dun Laoghaire) 80 79; 160 Sam Kelly (The Island) 79 81; 162 Cole Haygood (Heathrow) 83 79, Ryan Murray (Balmoral) 80 82 163 Dylan Harbourne (Grange) 81 82, Robert Galligan (Elm Park) 80 83, Eoin Rogers Killeen Castle 77 86.


The Irish Sun
3 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Watch the awkward moment Love Island's Megan PIES Conor as they snuggle up in the Hideaway after shock reunion
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Irish Examiner
4 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Keating tops South qualifiers after overcoming rollercoaster college career
His uncle had a No.1 hit with Life Is a Rollercoaster but Seapoint's Dylan Keating was thrilled to get his career back on more level ground on home soil as he topped the qualifiers for the Pierse Motor Group South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship at a sun0-kissed Lahinch. The 23-year-old Drogheda talent hit the headlines as a 17-year-old teenager when he won Regional Qualifying for the Open at Baltray. His Uncle Ronan of Boyzone fame frequently gets a mention when he plays well but when officials joked that he had to sing a song from the club balcony for winning the silver medal after he asked if he had any responsibilities, he was happy to hit the high notes on the links. On a day when a light westerly wind led to some hot scoring, Keating added a four under 68 to his opening 69 to top the qualifiers by a shot on seven under. Dooks' Conor Hickey shot a sparkling 65, Tralee's Mark Gazi a 67, Ballybofey and Stranoloar's Ryan Griffin a 68 and Royal Dublin's Sean Downes a 72 to finish tied for second as just seven of the 14 players on two-over made the top 64 who qualified for the matchplay. Former champion Sean Desmond from Douglas was the last man in after a brace of 73s. But it was also an important day for Fota Island's David Howard, the East of Ireland champion, who needed to make the matchplay to keep alive his hopes of winning an automatic spot in the Irish team for next month's Home Internationals at Woodhall Spa via his top two berth in the Bridgestone Order of Merit. After opening with a 75, Howard was five over for the championship with six holes to play but covered them in four-under and shot 70 to make the matchplay with a shot to spare on one-over. He was only marginally less happy than Keating, who admitted he considered quitting the game during his stint at the University of Louisiana Lafayette. 'I felt like I was kind of under forming there for a long time, and to come back home playing well this year, not that I expected to shoot a score like that, it was nice,' Keating said. 'I wouldn't be shy to say it's been a tough last few years. I was in Houston last year and played an event, and I said to Mum and dad, I think that's it for me in golf. Just mentally, I was struggling. I wasn't keeping the ball on the planet. 'My iron play was bad, my driver was terrible, and even my putting left me for a while. 'When I'm home and comfortable, I think that's what brings out the best of me, and that's probably why I struggled in America, just being homesick constantly.' The former Boys international harboured dreams of turning professional for a while but he's put those plans on hold and while he admits it's 'a long shot' he's hoping to win some events and get himself on the selectors' radar for next year's Walker Cup at Lahinch. Making next year's Palmer Cup team on his home course Tralee is a goal for Gazi, who is at Northwestern University in Chicago and looking impressive in west Clare. The 19-year-old made eight birdies in his 67 in just his second South of Ireland appearance and hopes to make a run in the matchplay. 'I've done a lot of match play, especially playing Boys Home internationals,' said Gazi, who is travelling with Tralee's Darren O'Sullivan, who shot 67 to qualify in sixth place on five-under. 'Whoever you are playing, you've just goto to beat the man and make sure you do that. It doesn't matter how you do it, once you do.' Most of the leading lights, such as former winners Caolan Rafferty and Colm Campbell, made the cut with ease alongside veterans such as Douglas' Karl Bornemann (level par after two 72s) and Galway's Joe Lyons, who squeezed through in 63rd place after two 73s. Hickey, who was joint second on six-under, was delighted to make it after making life tough for himself after an opening 73. 'It was a pretty big improvement over yesterday, anyway,' the 24-year-old said after a round featuring seven birdies and an eagle three at the fourth. 'I hit a few nice shots coming in and birdied the 16th and 18th hopefully I am not out at the crack of dawn.'