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Biog
William McKillop was born in 1850 in Dalry Ayrshire, the son of Daniel McKillop who had originally came from Glenarm in County Antrim.
While prospering in his business and political life, he was not so lucky in his private life. His first wife, a Miss Fisher, died in 1892 within a couple of years of marriage. He was not to marry again until 1908 when he married a Miss Rose Dalton, a sister-in-law of the Leading Nationalist MP Willie Redmond. She gave birth to their only child, a daughter, in May 1909 but by this time William McKillop was suffering from an illness which would eventually lead to his death on 26th August 1909 aged 49.
The Irish news reported on his funeral on 28th August 1909 as follows, “On Friday the remains of Mr William McKillop, MP were conveyed from the Grange, Maxwell Park, Pollock Shields to St Andrew’s Cathedral, Glasgow. On Saturday Requiem Mass was celebrated by the Very Rev Provost Mackintosh with other priests in attendance. After the service the cortege, with almost one hundred carriages proceeded to Dalbeth Cemetery where the internment took place.”
After his death, his wife Rose returned with the baby to Australia. His daughter, later known as Peggy, became a pioneer of Australian aviation.
The Catholic World
New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 6, 5 February 1903, Page 27
SCOTLAND.— A Successful Bazaar. – A bazaar was held recently in Glasgow on behalf of the Nuns of the Good Shepherd, Dalbeth, when a sum of over, £4000 was netted. The bazaar was opened on the first day by Very Rev. Lord Archibald Canon Douglas ; on the second by Bailie Bisland, and on the third by Mr. W. M’Killop, M.P. for North Sligo.The chairman said that in introducing Mr. M’Killop to a Glasgow audience was like introducing Mr. Joseph Chamberlain to a Birmingham audience. The bazaar committee were deeply indebted to Mr. McKillop, who was one of their most munificent donors. In declaring the bazaar open, Mr. McKillop thanked the committee” for the honor, and said that he was very pleased to give all the assistance in his power to that very deserving institution, the Magdalen Refuge.He was also pleased to know that on the preceding day the bazaar had been opened by one of the city magistrates, who spoke in very eloquent terms of the Home, and the great amount of good it was doing for the city. Bailie Bisland ‘s presence at the bazaar indicated the tolerance of the Scottish merchants.
From the Old Glasgow pubs website
John McKillop was a wine and spirit merchant and took over the Grosvenor Hotel in 1899. He was a native of Catrine, Ayrshire and came to Glasgow with the rest of his family, his brother William was also in the licensed trade in Glasgow, he owned the Royal restaurant in West Nile Street, William died in 1909. John and his brother William was also in partnership with Mr MacKenzie in various catering projects including the world famous Glasgow International Exhibition in 1901.The brothers were awarded many awards for their involvement in the Scottish Licensed Trade and catering services. John was a member of various societies including the Scottish Licensed Trade, he was a Director of the Glasgow Restaurateurs Association, a member of the Lethahill & Cardross Golf Clubs, he was elected onto the Celtic football Board in June 1897 in the Annfield Hall just off the Gallowgate and served on the board until his death in 1914.
McKillop Cup
In March 1906, shortly after McKillop’s election in January as MP for South Armagh, the Armagh County Committee of the GAA accepted his offer to “present a cup and set of medals for competition amongst Gaelic Football clubs in Armagh.” The cup was made in Scotland, and was described by the Dundalk Democrat in 1907 as “very valuable one” and “a triumph of the silversmith’s art”. Made of solid silver and weighing over 82 ounces, the cup is over two feet high.
The William McKillop Cup was first presented to the winners of the 1906/07 League, and since 1931 it been awarded to the county’s Senior Championship winners.
The cup was retired by the Armagh GAA in 1995, after being replaced with the Gerry Fagan Cup.
