Richard Boyle, 2nd Viscount Shannon

The Viscount Shannon
Unfinished portrait by Sir Godfrey Kneller (circa 1710)
Born	1675 Westminster, England
Died	20 December 1740 (aged 65) Ashley Park, Walton-on-Thames
Buried at	St Mary's Parish Church, Walton-on-Thames
Allegiance	Kingdom of England  Kingdom of Great Britain
Service/branch	English Army  British Army
Years of service	1690–1740
Rank	Field Marshal
Commands held	Commander-in-Chief, Ireland
Battles/wars	Williamite War in Ireland Nine Years' War War of the Spanish Succession

Field Marshal Richard Boyle, 2nd Viscount Shannon PC (1675 – 20 December 1740) was a British military officer and statesman. After serving as a junior officer at the Battle of the Boyne during the Williamite War in Ireland and at the Battle of Landen during the Nine Years' War, he commanded a brigade of grenadiers during the storming of Vigo during the War of the Spanish Succession. During this engagement the entire French fleet, under the command of the Marquis de Château-Renault, together with the Spanish galleons and transports under Manuel de Velasco, were either captured or destroyed. He also took part in a successful raid on Barcelona three years later. He went on to serve as Commander-in-Chief, Ireland throughout the 1720s and 1730s.

Born the son of Richard Boyle (born circa 1640) and Elizabeth Boyle (née Ponsonby, daughter of Sir John Ponsonby of Bessborough), Boyle was educated at the University of Oxford. He started his military career as a volunteer in the service of the Duke of Ormonde at the Battle of the Boyne in July 1690 during the Williamite War in Ireland. He also fought, being wounded and becoming a prisoner of war, at the Battle of Landen in July 1693 during the Nine Years' War. He was commissioned as a junior officer in Ormonde's Troop of Horse Guards and cornet in the Army on 16 February 1694 and was promoted to cornet in his regiment and major in the Army in 1697.