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James M. Dillon ( 16 September , 1902 - 10 February , 1986 ) was an Irish politician and leader of Fine Gael from 1959 to 1965. James Matthew Dillon was born in Dublin . He was the son of John Dillon , the last leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party (1918), which had been swept away by Sinn Féin in the 1918 General Election . He was educated in Gorey , University College Galway and King's Inns . He qualified as a barrister and was called to the bar in 1931 . Dillon studied business methods at Selfridge's in London . After some time at Marshall Fields in Chicago he returned to Ireland where he became manager of the family business in Roscommon . Between 1932 and 1937 Dillon served as TD for West Donegal for the Centre Party and after its merger with Cumann Na NGaedhael , the new party Fine Gael . He remained as TD for Monaghan from 1937 to 1969 . Dillon became deputy leader of Fine Gael under W.T. Cosgrave . He resigned from Fine Gael in 1942 over their stance on Irish Neutrality during World War II , when he urged the government to abandon neutrality and side with the Allies . In the first inter-party government (1948 - 1951) Dillon was appointed Minister for Agriculture as an Independent TD. Dillon rejoined Fine Gael in 1953. He became Minister for Agriculture again in the second inter-party government (1954 - 1957). In 1959 James Dillon became the leader of Fine Gael , the party he was expelled from in 1942. He became president of the party in 1960. In 1965 Fine Gael lost the election to Seán Lemass and Fianna Fáil . Dillon retired as party leader due to old age. He remained on as a TD until 1969 . He then retired from politics completely and died in the Republic of Ireland at the age of 83. POLITICAL CAREER ADDITIONAL READING
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