One of Ireland's most well known hoteliers, Mr Eoin Dillon, has died aged 68 after a three month illness. Until retirement, he was manager of the Tara Hotel in London, a property formerly owned by Aer Lingus. He joined the hotel in 1974 and was involved in upgrading it. He was Britain's Hotelier of the Year two years running.
Prior to taking up his position in London he had been both general manager of the Shelbourne Hotel and the Gresham Hotel in Dublin.
Mr Dillon trained at the Savoy in London and the Gresham in Dublin between 1947 and 1952. He worked at the Imperial in Cork and was catering manager at the Shelbourne before becoming general manager in 1962. He remained there until 1969 and then joined the Gresham where he was general manager until he went to the Tara.
He was a member of a number of professional organisations, including being a founder and former president of the Irish Hotels and Catering Institute and a council member of the Irish Hotels Federation. He was a keen sailor and was a member of the National Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire.
Mr Dillon was born in Dublin, His father was Prof Thomas Dillon and his mother Geraldine Plunkett.
He was educated at Clongowes Wood College and the Sorbonne in Paris. In 1951 he married Anne Therese Stapleton, who died earlier this year. He is survived by three children.
He was a brother of the author the late Eilis Dillon and the late Michael Dillon who was an agricultural journalist with The Irish Times and RTE.
Mr Dillon's remains will be removed to Donnybrook Church this evening. The funeral will be held at Donnybrook Church tomorrow morning.