Brian Dillon was born in Glanmire, Cork 1830 and raised in Dillon’s Cross; suffered curvature of the spine from childhood, and overcame his disability to become a leading Centre or Colonel in the Irish Republican Brotherhood or Fenian Brotherhood and lead the revolutionary forces of Cork City from the time of the creation of the Fenians in 1858. Suffered prosecution under the Cork special commission of 1865 and was sentenced to ten years penal servitude for plotting to overthrow Queen Victoria, to be released under licence back to Cork in 1871, to die a hero in 1872 and be given the largest funeral Cork has probably ever witnessed. Walter McGrath, a Cork journalist now deceased was the local expert on Brian Dillon and wrote many pieces for the Evening Echo and other publications over the years. Then there is the Brian Dillon GAA Football Club and his memorial at Rathcooney graveyard. There is also at UCC an annual 500 euro prize in Criminal Law called the Brian Dillon prize. Cork City Gaol uses his incarceration in the gaol as a draw card. Thomas Keneally Australian Author wrote The Great Shame 1998 which has an Australian connection. There are also letters from America that may have news worthy interest to Fenians in America.

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