Lord Killanin was born in London, England, on 30 July 1914. During his youth at Eton and later at Magdalene College (Cambridge), he was an accomplished sportsman, taking part in competitions particularly as a boxer, oarsman and rider.

A famous journalist on Fleet Street, where he wrote for renowned daily newspapers and magazines, from the age of 22 he experienced enormous success, especially as a war correspondent in China. Enlisted as a volunteer in the British Army for the length of the Second World War, he took part in the Allied landing in Normandy.

When he became an IOC member in 1952, he had already headed the Olympic Council of Ireland for two years. Without benefiting from a personal fortune and without ever sacrificing his ideas, passions and major tasks as a leader, he succeeded over the years in forging a comfortable family life as a director or board member of several large companies. At the same time, he became not only the producer but also the chief adviser of many successful films, including "The Quiet Man", on which he worked with his long-standing friend, John Ford.

For eight years, he acted as President of the International Olympic Committee during an extremely difficult period, and was later unanimously elected Honorary Life President. Lord Killanin died in April 1999.