John D'Alton was born in Claremorris, County Mayo, and was educated at Blackrock, Clongowes and the Irish College, Rome. In 1908 he was ordained and undertook postgraduate studies in Oxford and Cambridge. In 1912 he was appointed to the Chair of Ancient Classics in Maynooth, becoming President of the college in 1936. In 1942 he became Bishop of Meath and four years later was translated to Armagh as Archbishop and Primate of All Ireland. In 1953 he became a Cardinal. When the second Vatican Council met, Cardinal D'Alton was appointed as a member of the Central Preparatory Commission. He returned to Ireland in 1962. Among his publications are Horace and His Age: A Study in Historical Background; Roman Literary Theory and Criticism: A Study in Tendencies and Selections from St John Chrysostom.

Born:	1883
Died:	1963