Dillon reached Ireland with Sir Henry Dillon, whose grants from King John in Westmeath and Annaly were later called Dillon’s Country, and in Kerry, Limerick, Clare and Galway the same spelling also covers the Gaelic Ó Duilleáin. Whichever line a family belongs to, choosing from our Dillon Irish family gifts collection comes down to a few clear decisions, taken one at a time below.
Woven Cotton or Printed Throw: Which Dillon Blanket?
The Dillon woven cotton blanket is the heirloom. Colored cotton yarn builds the Dillon family emblem and the Irish National Tartan into the cloth itself instead of printing them on top, and a traditional woven fringe finishes the ends. Pick 52″ × 37″ for a reading chair, 60″ × 50″ for the back of a sofa, or the 80″ × 60″ to lie across a bed. Give it for a wedding, a milestone anniversary or the host of a family reunion.
The Dillon printed blanket is the lighter everyday option: 100% polyester in one 50″ × 60″ size, with the crest printed on the front. The back is plain white and the edges are hemmed. It suits a dorm room, a camper or the relative who keeps a throw over their knees during the game.
A Dillon Gift for Every Morning
For a birthday, Father’s Day or an office Secret Santa, the Dillon family crest mug is the present that gets used daily. It is an 11oz ceramic accent mug with a black handle and a black inside, the crest sits on the Irish National Tartan on the outside, and it can go in the microwave and the dishwasher.
Outside the Front Door: The House of Dillon Flag
The House of Dillon garden flag puts the Dillon shield on the Irish National Tartan for the porch, the mailbox post or a flower bed. Choose 12 by 18 inches for a small stand, or 24.5 by 32 inches if it should be read from the street. The lightweight poly poplin-canvas has a sewn top sleeve that fits most standard garden poles and stands; the pole is sold separately. It makes a good housewarming present and an easy one for St. Patrick’s Day.
For the Tree: The Framed Dillon Ornament
The Dillon Christmas ornament frames the crest in polished silver-tone metal, 3.25 by 2.31 inches, printed on one side and hung from a satin ribbon. Write the year on the gift tag and it marks a first Christmas in a new home or a first Christmas married.
To Wear: The Dillon Celtic Harp T-Shirt
The Dillon Irish Heritage T-shirt is the one piece without the crest. The shirt is a Gildan 64000 Softstyle unisex tee in Black, Irish Green or dark heather gray, sizes S to 3XL, and the print shows the Dillon name above a detailed Celtic harp. Buy several for a reunion photo or a parade day.
Quick Picks by Occasion
- Wedding or anniversary: the woven cotton blanket in 60″ × 50″ or 80″ × 60″
- Christmas stocking: the crest mug or the framed ornament
- New house: the House of Dillon garden flag
- Reunion or St. Patrick’s Day: the Celtic harp T-shirt
- First apartment or dorm: the printed polyester throw
Put the Story in the Card
For Westmeath roots: “Sir Henry Dillon’s grants from King John became Dillon’s Country, and his descendants were barons of Kilkenny West.” For a Munster family: “In Kerry and Clare our Dillon is the Gaelic Ó Duilleáin, a form of Ó Dalláin.” The rest, from Dillon’s Regiment landing at Brest in 1690 to John Dillon of East Mayo, is in our Dillon family history article.
Dillon Gift FAQ
Does the Dillon T-shirt show the family crest?
No. Its design is the Dillon name and a Celtic harp, with no crest or tartan. For the crest on the Irish National Tartan, choose a blanket, the mug, the garden flag or the ornament.
Is Dillon an Irish name?
Yes, by two routes: the Anglo-Norman family written Díolún in Irish, whose Westmeath lands were called Dillon’s Country, and the Gaelic Ó Duilleáin of the south and west.