View source for Michael Morris, 3rd Baron Killanin

{{Short description|President of the IOC from 1972 to 1980}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix  = [[His Excellency]] [[The Right Honourable]]
| name              = The Lord Killanin
| honorific-suffix  = [[Order of the British Empire|MBE]] [[Territorial Decoration|TD]]
| image             = Michael Morris, 3rd Baron Killanin (1976).jpg
| caption           = Morris in 1976
| office            = {{ubl|Member of the [[House of Lords]]|<small>[[Lord Temporal]]</small>}}
| term_start        = 11 August 1927
| term_end          = 25 April 1999<br>[[Hereditary peerage]]
| predecessor       = [[Martin Morris, 2nd Baron Killanin|The 2nd Baron Killanin]]
| successor         = [[Redmond Morris, 4th Baron Killanin|The 4th Baron Killanin]]
| order2            = 6th [[President of the International Olympic Committee]]
| term_start2       = 11 September 1972
| term_end2         = 3 August 1980
| predecessor2      = [[Avery Brundage]]
| successor2        = [[Juan Antonio Samaranch]]
| office3           = Honorary President of the International Olympic Committee
| term_start3       = 3 August 1980
| term_end3         = 25 April 1999
| predecessor3      = ''Vacant'', last held by Avery Brundage (1975)
| successor3        = ''Vacant'', next held by Juan Antonio Samaranch (2001)
| birth_date        = {{Birth date|1914|07|30|df=yes}}
| birth_place       = [[London]], England
| death_date        = {{Death date and age|1999|04|25|1914|07|30|df=yes}}
| death_place       = [[Dublin]], Ireland
| nationality       = [[Irish people|Irish]]
| spouse            = {{marriage|Sheila Dunlop|1945}}
| children          = 4, including [[Redmond Morris, 4th Baron Killanin|Redmond]] and [[Mouse Morris|Mouse]]
| alma_mater        = [[Magdalene College, Cambridge]]
| occupation        = Journalist, film producer, author, business executive, honorary consul
}}
'''Michael Morris, 3rd Baron Killanin''', {{post-nominals|size=100%|sep=,|MBE|TD}} (30 July 1914 – 25 April 1999) was an Irish journalist, author, sports official, and the sixth [[president of the International Olympic Committee]] (IOC), serving from 1972 to 1980. He succeeded [[Martin Henry FitzPatrick Morris, 2nd Baron Killanin|his uncle]] as [[Baron Killanin]] in the [[Peerage of the United Kingdom]] in 1927, when he was 12, which allowed him to sit in the [[House of Lords]] at the [[Palace of Westminster]] as Lord Killanin upon turning 21.<ref>{{cite book | last = Killanin | first = Lord | title = My Olympic Years, autobiography | year = 1983 | publisher = HarperCollins | isbn = 0-688-02209-X | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/myolympicyears0000kill }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last = Killanin | first = Lord | title = Olympic Games 1988 | publisher = Penguin Group | year = 1988 | isbn = 0-7181-2391-3 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last = Killanin | first = Lord |author2=Duignan, Michael V | title = Shell Guide to Ireland | year = 1989 | publisher = Gill & Macmillan | isbn = 0-7171-1595-X }}</ref>

==Early life==
Morris was born in [[St George Hanover Square]], [[Westminster]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=DVZuelvQh2WcrmrPIrEpsA&scan=1|title=Index entry|accessdate=10 April 2016|work=FreeBMD|publisher=ONS}}</ref> the son of [[Lieutenant colonel (United Kingdom)|Lt. Col.]] [[George Henry Morris|George Morris]], an [[Irish Catholic]] from [[Spiddal]] in [[Connemara]], [[County Galway]]. His grandfather was [[Michael Morris, Baron Morris|Michael Morris, 1st Baron Killanin]], who had served as [[Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench for Ireland]] from 1887 to 1889. The Morrises were one of the fourteen families making up the [[Tribes of Galway]]. On 1 September 1914, early in the [[First World War]], Killanin's father was killed in action near [[Villers-Cotterêts]], [[France]], while commanding the [[Irish Guards]].

His [[Australia]]n-born mother, Dora Maryon Wesley Hall (1891–1948), was the second-eldest daughter of English-born James Wesley Hall (1839–1901) and Australian Mary Dora Frederica Hall (''née'' Dempster; 1864–1895). Wesley Hall was the first general manager of the Mount Morgan Gold Mining Company Limited in the [[Colony of Queensland]], [[Australia]], from 1886 to 1891. He was born in [[Kington, Herefordshire|Kington]], [[Herefordshire]], [[Great Britain]], to Walter Hall, a miller, and Elizabeth Carleton Skarratt. Lord Killanin's maternal grandmother, Dora Hall, was born in [[Williamstown, Victoria|Williamstown]], [[Colony of Victoria]], to William Dempster, a bank manager, and Margaret Herbert Davies.

Killanin was educated at [[Summerfields, St Leonards-on-Sea|Summerfields]], [[Eton College]], the [[University of Paris|Sorbonne]] in Paris and then [[Magdalene College, Cambridge]], where he was President of the [[Footlights]] dramatic club. In the mid-1930s, he began his career as a journalist on [[Fleet Street]], working for the ''[[Daily Express]]'', the ''[[Daily Sketch]]'' and subsequently the ''[[Daily Mail]]''. In 1937–38, he was [[war correspondent]] during the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]].

In July 1927, he succeeded his father's older brother [[Martin Morris, 2nd Baron Killanin|Martin Morris]] to become [[Baron Killanin]], which gave him an hereditary seat in the [[House of Lords]] at [[Westminster]] as it was a [[peerage]] in the [[Peerage of the United Kingdom]].

==Family==
Lord Killanin married (Mary) Sheila Cathcart Dunlop (1919–2007), [[Member of the Order of the British Empire|MBE]], of [[Oughterard]], [[County Galway]], in 1945. She was the granddaughter of [[Henry Dunlop]], who built [[Lansdowne Road|Lansdowne Road Rugby Ground]] in [[Ballsbridge]], [[Dublin]], in 1872. Her father was Douglas [[Canon (priest)|Canon]] Lyall Chandler Dunlop, [[Church of Ireland]] [[Rector (ecclesiastical)|Rector]] of Oughterard. Lord and Lady Killanin had three sons: [[Red Morris, 4th Baron Killanin|George Redmond ("Red")]], [[Mouse Morris|Michael ("Mouse")]], and John ("Johnny"), and a daughter, Monica Deborah.<ref>{{cite news |last=Collins |first=Liam |date=4 March 2007  |title=Double blow to Gold Cup trainer |url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/double-blow-to-gold-cup-trainer-26285394.html |newspaper=[[Irish Independent]] |accessdate=23 October 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=O'Brien |first=Stephen |date=30 April 1999 |title=Haughey in tribute to Lord Killanin |url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/haughey-in-tribute-to-lord-killanin-26154822.html |newspaper=[[Irish Independent]] |accessdate=23 October 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Collins |first=Liam |date=4 June 2015 |title=Great tragedy for family steeped in sport and history |url=http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/great-tragedy-for-family-steeped-in-sport-and-history-31277239.html |newspaper=[[Irish Independent]] |accessdate=10 April 2016}}</ref>

==Military career==
In November 1938, the young Lord Killanin was commissioned into the [[Queen's Westminsters]], a territorial regiment of the [[British Army]],<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=34567|page=6891|date=4 November 1938}}</ref> where he was responsible for recruiting fellow journalists, including future ''[[The Daily Telegraph|Daily Telegraph]]'' editor [[Bill Deedes]], and friends who were musicians and actors. He reached the rank of [[Major (British Army)|major]] and took part in the planning of [[D-Day]] and the [[Invasion of Normandy|Battle of Normandy]] in 1944, acting as [[brigade major]] for [[30th Armoured Brigade]], part of the [[79th Armoured Division]]. He was appointed, due to the course of operations, a [[Member of the Order of the British Empire]] (MBE).<ref>{{London Gazette|nolink=y|issue=36917|supp=y|page=673|date=1 February 1945}}</ref> After being demobilised, he went to Ireland. He was awarded the Territorial [[Efficiency Medal]] in 1946,<ref>{{London Gazette|nolink=y|issue=37799|supp=y|page=5834|date=28 November 1946}}</ref> and the [[Efficiency Decoration]] in 1950.<ref>{{London Gazette|nolink=y|issue=38889|supp=y|page=1938|date=21 April 1950}}</ref> He resigned his [[Territorial Army (United Kingdom)|TA]] commission in 1951.<ref>{{London Gazette|nolink=y|issue=39449|supp=y|page=571|date=29 January 1952}}</ref>

==President of the IOC==
In 1950, Lord Killanin became the head of the [[Olympic Council of Ireland]] (the OCI), and became his country's representative in the IOC in 1952. He became senior vice-president in 1968, and succeeded [[Avery Brundage]], becoming [[Presidents of the International Olympic Committee|President]] elect at the 73rd [[IOC Session]] (21–24 August) held in Munich prior to the [[1972 Summer Olympics]]. He took office soon after the Games.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.la84foundation.org/OlympicInformationCenter/OlympicReview/1972/ore59/ore59c.pdf|title=Olympic Review|volume=N59|date=October 1972|page=355|journal=LA84 Foundation}}</ref>

During his presidency, the Olympic movement experienced a difficult period, dealing with the financial flop of the [[1976 Summer Olympics|1976 Montreal Olympics]] and the [[1980 Summer Olympics boycott|international boycott]] of the [[1980 Summer Olympics|1980 Moscow Olympics]]. Denver, originally selected to host the [[1976 Winter Olympics]], withdrew and had to be replaced by Innsbruck. The cities of [[Lake Placid, New York|Lake Placid]] and Los Angeles were chosen for [[1980 Winter Olympics|1980 Winter]] and [[1984 Summer Olympics|1984 Summer Games]] by default due to a lack of competing bids. Killanin retired after the Moscow Olympics in 1980, and was succeeded by [[Juan Antonio Samaranch]]. He was later unanimously elected Honorary Life President.<ref>{{cite book|title=Olympic Review|volume=N154|date=August 1980|pages=410–412|url=http://www.la84foundation.org/OlympicInformationCenter/OlympicReview/1980/ore154/ORE154l.pdf}}</ref>

==Other positions==
Killanin served as Honorary Consul-General of [[Monaco]] in Ireland from 1961 to 1984.<ref>{{cite news|last=Berry|first=Claire|title=Lord of Ballybrit|newspaper=[[The Irish Field]]|date=28 July 2012}}</ref>

Killanin served as Chairman of the Race Committee for [[Galway Races|Galway Racecourse]] from 1970 to 1985.<ref>{{cite book|last=Hyland|first=Francis|title=History of Galway Races|year=2008}}</ref> In his acceptance speech on behalf of the Galway Race Committee when accepting an award for its contribution to Irish Racing in 2013 the then chairman Tim Naughton said Lord Killanin's appointment as Chairman of the Race Committee in the early 1970s was instrumental in setting in motion a train of development that has resulted in the venue not only becoming a top horse-racing destination but also an attractive tourist destination.<ref>{{cite news |last=NiFhlatharta |first=Bernie |date=20 August 2013 |title=Galway Race Committee honoured for its contribution to horse racing |url=http://connachttribune.ie/galway-race-committee-honoured-for-its-contribution-to-horse-racing/ |newspaper=[[Connacht Tribune]] |accessdate=27 December 2014}}</ref> A keen horse racing enthusiast, Killanin also served as a steward of the Irish Turf Club on two occasions and on the National Hunt Steeplechase Committee.

In his business life Killanin was a director of many companies including [[Shell plc#Ireland|Shell Ireland]], [[Ulster Bank]], [[Beamish and Crawford]], and [[Chubb Fire & Security|Chubb Ireland]]. He was a founder member of [[An Taisce]] (The National Trust for Ireland) and was chairman of the National Monuments Advisory Council until his death.<ref>{{cite news |last=Bushe |first=Andrew |date=April 1999<!--From article text, it was written less than a week after Morris's death. As of April 2016, website incorrectly dates article to "October, 07-13, 1998", which is before Morris died.--> |title=Ex-IOC head Lord Killanin dead |url=http://irishecho.com/2011/02/ex-ioc-head-lord-killanin-deadby-andrew-bushe-3/ |newspaper=[[The Irish Echo]] |accessdate=27 December 2014}}</ref>

In 1948 Killanin was invested as a Knight of Honour and Devotion in the Irish Association of the [[Sovereign Military Order of Malta]].

==Film==
Lord Killanin also worked in the film industry, collaborating with his lifelong friend, [[John Ford (film director)|John Ford]], on ''[[The Quiet Man]]'', when he acted as a general factotum, and later producing two of Ford's films ''[[The Rising of the Moon (film)|The Rising of the Moon]]'' and ''[[Gideon's Day (film)|Gideon’s Day]]'', as well as the film '' [[The Playboy of the Western World (film)|The Playboy of the Western World]]''.

==Death==
[[File:Michael-Morris-3rd-Baron-Killanin-stained-glass-window-Spiddal.jpg|thumb|Commemorative [[stained glass]] window for Killanin in [[Spiddal]]]]
Killanin died at his home in [[Dublin]] aged 84 and, following a bilingual funeral Mass at St Enda's Church in [[Spiddal]], [[County Galway]], he was buried in the family vault in [[Bohermore Cemetery]], [[Galway City|Galway]].

==Arms==
{{Infobox COA wide
|image = Killanin Achievement.png
|escutcheon = Ermine a fess indented Sable in base a lion rampant of the last armed and langued Gules.
|crest = On a fasces Proper a lion’s head erased Argent gutté de sang.
|motto = [[Si Deus nobiscum quis contra nos|Si Deus Nobiscum Quis Contra Nos]]<ref>{{cite book|title=Burke's Peerage |date=1959}}</ref>}}

==Selected works==
* ''Four days, an account of the 1938 Munich crisis'', edited by Lord Killanin. London, W. Heinemann, Ltd. (1938).
* ''Sir Godfrey Kneller & His Times'', by Lord Killanin. B. T. Batsford Ltd., (England) (1948).
* ''Olympic Games'', by Lord Killanin. Macmillan Publishing Company (1 February 1976), {{ISBN|0-02-975730-4}}.
* ''Shell Guide to Ireland'', by Lord Killanin, M.V. Duignan, Peter Harbison (Editor). Macmillan; 3Rev Ed edition (May 1989). {{ISBN|0-333-46957-7}}.
* ''The Fitzroy: The Autobiography of a London Tavern'', by Lord Killanin, Sally Fiber, and Clive Powell-Williams. Temple House; 1st edition (21 August 1995). {{ISBN|1-85776-023-9}}.
* ''My Olympic Years'', by Lord Killanin. Martin Secker & Warburg Ltd; First Edition (9 May 1983). {{ISBN|0-436-23340-1}}.
* ''My Ireland: A Personal Impression'', by Lord Killanin. Gallery Books (Nov 1987). {{ISBN|0-8317-6286-1}}.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
*[http://www.unithistories.com/officers/Army_officers_K01.html#Kilkelly_G British Army Officers 1939−1945]
*[https://www.theguardian.com/news/1999/apr/27/guardianobituaries.johnrodda Lord Killanin]. ''[[The Guardian]]'' obituary. Retrieved: 2010-10-23.
*[https://www.nytimes.com/1999/04/26/sports/lord-killanin-olympic-leader-dies-at-84.html ''Lord Killanin, Olympic Leader, Dies at 84''] by Richard Goldstein (two pages). ''[[The New York Times]]'' obituary, 26 April 1999. Retrieved: 2010-10-23.
*''An Irishman and his family: Lord Morris and Killanin'', by Maud Wynne. Publisher: J. Murray (1937).
*''Lord Killanin (1914–1999)'', Maire Boran, Journal of the [[Galway Archaeological and Historical Society]], Volume 53, 2001, 218–19.

{{s-start}}
{{S-civ}}
{{Succession box | before={{flagicon|USA}} [[Avery Brundage]] | title=[[President of the International Olympic Committee]]| years=1972–1980 | after={{flagicon|ESP}} [[Juan Antonio Samaranch]]}}
{{s-reg|uk}}
{{succession box | title=[[Baron Killanin]]  | before=[[Martin Morris, 2nd Baron Killanin|Martin Morris]]  | after=[[Redmond Morris, 4th Baron Killanin|Red Morris]]
 | years=1927–1999}}
{{S-end}}
{{Presidents of the International Olympic Committee}}
{{Portal bar|Olympics|Biography|Ireland}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Killanin, Michael Morris, 3rd Baron}}
[[Category:1914 births]]
[[Category:1999 deaths]]
[[Category:People from County Galway|Morris, 3rd Baron Killanin, Michael]]
[[Category:People educated at Eton College]]
[[Category:Barons Killanin|3]]
[[Category:Alumni of Magdalene College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:University of Paris alumni]]
[[Category:Irish officers in the British Army]]
[[Category:Queen's Westminsters officers]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Daily Express people]]
[[Category:Daily Mail journalists]]
[[Category:Irish film producers]]
[[Category:King's Royal Rifle Corps officers]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Olympic Federation of Ireland officials]]
[[Category:Irish people of English descent]]
[[Category:Irish International Olympic Committee members]]
[[Category:Presidents of the International Olympic Committee]]
[[Category:20th-century Irish journalists]]
[[Category:Military personnel from the City of Westminster]]
[[Category:Morris family (Ireland)|Michael]]
[[Category:British Roman Catholic writers]]