[2] Following the death of his mother in 1882, he was placed with his six siblings under the guardianship of his uncle Nicholas Donnelly, auxiliary bishop of Dublin.

Boland studied law at Christ Church, Oxford, graduating with a BA in 1896 and MA in 1901; although called to the Bar in 1897, he never practised.

Following a visit to Kerry he became concerned about the lack of literacy among the native population, he also had a keen interest in the Irish language.

This and a lifelong friendship with John Redmond gained for him an invitation to stand as a candidate for the Irish Parliamentary Party in the safe seat of South Kerry, which he held from 1900 to 1918.

He received a papal knighthood, becoming a Knight of St. Gregory in recognition for his work in Education, and in 1950 he was awarded an honorary doctorate of Laws by the NUI.