Earl of Shannon

Earl of Shannon is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1756 for the prominent Irish politician Henry Boyle, who served as Speaker of the Irish House of Commons and as Chancellor of the Irish Exchequer. The earldom is named after Shannon Park in County Cork.^[1]

Earldom of Shannon
Parted per bend embattled Gules and Argent, a crescent for difference
Creation date	17 April 1756
Created by	George II
Peerage	Peerage of Ireland
First holder	Henry Boyle
Present holder	Henry Boyle, 10th Earl of Shannon
Heir presumptive	Robert Francis Boyle
Remainder to	Heirs male of the first earl's body lawfully begotten
Subsidiary titles	Viscount Boyle of Bandon Baron of Castle Martyr Baron Carleton
Former seat(s)	Shannon Park Castle Martyr
Motto	Vivit post funera virtus ("Virtue lives after death") Spectemur agendo ("Let us be judged by our actions")

Henry Boyle, 1st Earl of Shannon.

The first Earl was made Viscount Boyle, of Bandon, and Baron Castle Martyr at the same time, also in the Peerage of Ireland. Lord Shannon was the second son of Henry Boyle, second son of Roger Boyle, 1st Earl of Orrery, third surviving son of Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork. He was succeeded by his son, the second Earl. He served as Master-General of the Ordnance for Ireland and as Vice-Treasurer for Ireland. In 1786 he was created Baron Carleton, of Carleton in the County of York, in the Peerage of Great Britain. This title gave him and the later Earls an automatic seat in the British House of Lords. The third Earl, son of the second, notably served as Lord Lieutenant of County Cork. On his death the titles passed to his son, the fourth Earl, who briefly represented County Cork in the House of Commons.^[1]

As of 2019^[update], the titles are held by the fourth Earl's great-great-great-grandson, the tenth Earl, who succeeded his father in 2013.

The Honourable Sir Algernon Boyle, sixth son of the fifth Earl, was an admiral in the Royal Navy.^[1]

The family seat was Castle Martyr (or Castlemartyr) in Castlemartyr, County Cork,^[2] which was the ancient seat of the FitzGeralds.^[3]

Earls of Shannon (1756)

• Henry Boyle, 1st Earl of Shannon (1682–1764)
• Richard Boyle, 2nd Earl of Shannon (1728–1807)
• Henry Boyle, 3rd Earl of Shannon (1771–1842)
• Richard Boyle, 4th Earl of Shannon (1809–1868)
• Henry Bentinck Boyle, 5th Earl of Shannon (1833–1890)
• Richard Henry Boyle, 6th Earl of Shannon (1860–1906)
• Richard Bernard Boyle, 7th Earl of Shannon (1897–1917)
• Robert Henry Boyle, 8th Earl of Shannon (1900–1963)
• Richard Bentinck Boyle, 9th Earl of Shannon (1924–2013)^[4]
• (Richard) Henry John Boyle, 10th Earl of Shannon (born 1960), known as Harry Boyle^[5]

Present peer

(Richard) Henry John Boyle, 10th Earl of Shannon (born 19 January 1960), also known as Harry Boyle,^[5] is the son of the 9th Earl and his wife Susan Margaret Rogers Hogg. Between 1963 and 2013 he was known formally as Viscount Boyle.^[6]

In 2003, he was living at Edington House, Bridgwater, Somerset. On 9 May 2013 he succeeded as Earl of Shannon, Viscount Boyle, Baron Castle Martyr, and Baron Carleton.^[6]

As of 2023, Shannon is unmarried, and the heir presumptive is his second cousin once removed, Robert Francis Boyle (born 1930),^[7] a grandson of a younger son of the 5th Earl.

Title succession chart

Title succession chart

Title succession chart, Barons Castle Martyr, Viscounts Boyle, and Earls of Shannon. Henry Boyle 1st Earl of Shannon 1682–1764 Baron Carleton [GB] Richard Boyle 2nd Earl of Shannon 1728–1807 Henry Boyle 3rd Earl of Shannon 1771–1842 Richard Boyle 1802 – c. 1803 Richard Boyle 4th Earl of Shannon 1809–1868 Henry Boyle 5th Earl of Shannon 1833–1890 Richard Boyle 6th Earl of Shannon 1860–1906 Hon. Henry Boyle 1862–1908 V. Adm. Hon. Robert Boyle 1863–1922 Hon. Richard Boyle 1896–1896 Richard Boyle 7th Earl of Shannon 1897–1917 Robert Boyle 8th Earl of Shannon 1900–1963 Cdr. Vivian Boyle 1902–1962 Richard Boyle 9th Earl of Shannon 1924–2013 Robert Boyle born 1930 Richard Boyle 10th Earl of Shannon born 1960 David Boyle born 1959 Liam Boyle born 2001

Line of succession

Line of succession

Henry Boyle, 5th Earl of Shannon (1833–1890) Richard Boyle, 6th Earl of Shannon (1860–1906) Robert Boyle, 8th Earl of Shannon (1900–1963) Richard Boyle, 9th Earl of Shannon (1924–2013) Richard Boyle, 10th Earl of Shannon (born 1960) Hon. Robert Francis Boyle (1863–1922) Vivien Francis Boyle (1902–1962) (1) Robert Francis Boyle (born 1930) (2) David de Crespigny Boyle (born 1959) (3) Liam Francis Paton Boyle (born 2001) (4) Robert Andrew Boyle (born 1961) Hon. Edward Spencer Harry Boyle (1870–1937) Patrick Spencer Boyle (1906–1978) Michael Patrick Radcliffe Boyle (1934–2011) (5) Robert Algernon Radcliffe Boyle (born 1963) (6) George Patrick Radcliffe Boyle (born 1998) (7) Rupert Alexander Boyle (born 1968) David Spencer Boyle (1942–2023) (8) James Patrick William Boyle (born 1983) [7]

See also

• Earl of Orrery
• Earl of Cork