The second son of Richard Boyle, 9th Earl of Cork and Lady Emily de Burgh, he was educated at Charterhouse School.
During the First World War, he was the honorary secretary of the British Club for Belgian Soldiers, an organization to provide recreation and refreshment for Belgian soldiers on furlough from the front lines.
As a result, he was made an officer in the Belgian Order of the Crown.
[3] He was also made a knight of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus for war services.
[4] In 1925, he succeeded his brother Charles as Earl of Cork and Orrery.