Richard Hamilton, 4th Viscount Boyne

Hamilton joined the Royal Navy, and was promoted to lieutenant on 2 June 1748.^[3] Two days after this he was appointed to the 80-gun ship of the line HMS Russell as her third lieutenant, in the Mediterranean Sea.^[1]

Hamilton entered the Irish House of Commons in 1755 and sat as Member of Parliament (MP) for Navan until 1761.^[4] He was High Sheriff of Meath in 1766.^[5] On 8 June 1757 he joined the 74-gun ship of the line HMS Magnanime as her third lieutenant; he served in her until 11 July and did not receive any further appointments in the navy.^[1] On 2 January 1772 he succeeded his older brother Frederick Hamilton, 3rd Viscount Boyne as viscount.^[6]

Hamilton married Georgiana Bury, second daughter of William Bury and his wife Jane Moore. Her maternal grandfather was John Moore, 1st Baron Moore,^[7] and her mother was the sister and heiress of Charles Moore, 1st Earl of Charleville. Together, they were the parents of seventeen children, seven sons and ten daughters, including:^[7]

• Gustavus Hamilton, 5th Viscount Boyne (1749–1816), who married Martha Somerville, only daughter of Sir Quaile Somerville, 2nd Baronet, in 1773.^[8]
• Charles Hamilton (1750–1794), who married Ms. Lister, daughter of Christopher Kirwan Lister, in 1785.^[8]
• Catherine Hamilton (1754–1795), who married Hugh Montgomery Lyons of Belhaval on 2 February 1773.^[8]
• Sophia Hamilton (b. 1769), who married William John Lowe and, secondly, Rev. Bigoe Henzell, Rector of Kilwahon.^[8]
• Anne Hamilton (1771–1828), who married Thomas Craven.^[8]

Lord Boyne died on 30 July 1789.^[1]