The grandson of Richard Nugent, 1st Earl of Westmeath, Nugent"s father, Christopher, Lord Delvin, had predeceased the first Earl, meaning that Richard Nugent succeeded to the earldom on his grandfather"s death in 1641. His mother was Lady Anne MacDonnell, daughter of Randal MacDonnell, 1st Earl of Antrim.
While attempting to make his way back to Ireland in December 1641 upon the outbreak of the 1641 Rebellion, Nugent was arrested on suspecion of complicty in the rising. He subsequently served as a cavalry commander during the Irish Confederate Wars, seeing action at the Battle of Dungan"s Hill in August 1647, where he was captured. He later served as General of the Forces of Leinster from 1650-1652.
He submitted to the Parliamentary forces in the latter year but was excluded from the Acting of Settlement 1652 and transplanted to Connaught.
After the Restoration of Charles II, he received a large pension as a reward for his loyalty to the Crown. Richard and Mary Nugent had the following issue:
Christopher Nugent, Lord Delvin, died before 1680
Lady Anne Nugent, married firstly Lucas Dillon, 6th Viscount Dillon, and secondly Sir William Talbot, 3rd Baronet, and died after 14 July 1710
Thomas Nugent, 1st Baron Nugent of Riverston, died 2 April 1715
Lady Mary Nugent b.
21 February 1648, married Henry Barnewall, 2nd Viscount Barnewall of Kingsland, and died 25 June 1680.
