Michael Morris, 3rd Baron Killanin

Michael Morris, 3rd Baron Killanin, MBE, usually "Lord Killanin" to the international public (born 30 July 1914 in London; † 25 April 1999 in Dublin) was an Anglo-Irish journalist and sports official. He was the sixth president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Killanin was a member of one of the 14 families that made up the tribes of Galway. His father died when he was one month old in the early days of the First World War as a commander in the Irish Guards. Morris first attended school at Eton and then studied at the Sorbonne in Paris and Magdalene College, University of Cambridge. In 1927 he inherited the title of Baron Killanin after the death of his uncle. In the late 1930s he began a career as a journalist. However, he interrupted this activity and volunteered for the British Army for the Second World War. Morris rose to the rank of major and was involved in the planning and preparation of Operation Overlord.

In 1950 Morris took over the chairmanship of the Olympic Committee of Ireland and was elected to the IOC in 1952. In 1968 he rose to the position of Vice-President and following the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich he was elected President of the IOC.

During his presidency, the Olympic movement went through difficult phases. The 1976 and 1980 Games were boycotted for the first time on a broad front for political reasons. Lord Killanin, who practiced a democratic style of leadership compared to Brundage, gave the impression of a weak president who could not defend himself against pressure, but he and the Olympic movement proved to be stable. The 1980 Winter Olympics and the 1984 Summer Olympics were awarded to Lake Placid and Los Angeles, respectively, with no opposing candidates.

In 1980, Morris resigned following the Olympic Games. His position was taken over by Juan Antonio Samaranch.

Besides his posts in the sport Morris was also director of some companies. Among other things, he was active in the film industry and produced the film The Quiet Man in 1952 together with his longtime friend John Ford.

Morris died at his home in Dublin in April 1999, aged 84. After a funeral service in Spiddal (County Galway), he was buried in the family vault in Galway's New Cemetery. His title passed to his son Red Morris, a well-known film producer.