From Concise Dictionary of National Biography, DA28.D55 1939, p169:
Richard de Burgh, died 1243, Irish settler, dispossessed by King John of his lands in Connaught, pilgrim to Compostella, 1222; restored by Henry II, 1222; fought against Aedh O'Connor of Connaught, 1230; invaded the Irish estates of Richard, the Earl Marshal, and contributed to his death, 1234; sailed to join King Henry II in France and died there.

From "A New History of Ireland", vol IX, p170:
He was 1st Earl Of Connaught from 1227-1243.

From Irish Roots, 1994 #1, "Surnames of County Galway" page 26:
The founding families of Galway City were the mainly Norman followers of the de Burgos in the invasion of Connacht in the early 13th century. . . With the passage of time they sought to cast aside the suzerainty of the de Burgos whom they saw as allying themselves with the native Irish and adopting Irish customs. The walls of Galway were fortifications against military assault and a protection against Irish ways around an English enclave. The year 1484 was one of great achievement for these families because then they gained, in both church and state affairs, a degree of independence which was unique.

From Irish Roots, 1994 #1, page 27, 'Surnames of County Galway':
The name Burke is one of the most numerous among Galway surnames. The Norman progenitor of the family was William FitzAdelm de Burgo who was sent to Ireland with Hugh deLacy and in 1179 received a grant from King Henry II of England of large tracts of Connacht. About 50 years later his son Richard built a castle at Galway as part of his campaign to take possession of the lands thus bestowed on his father.

Married Agnes O’Connor dau of King Aedh of Connacht according to Ken Macdermotroe. Also His descendant by her, Walter, Richard, John, William, Elizabeth married Lionel Duke of Clarence, ancestors of current British royalty.47

http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~sfreer/ormonde.html
THEOBALD, 3rd Butler, m. ca. 1242 Margery, eldest dau. of Richard de Burgo, Lord Deputy of Ireland (ancestor of the Lords Clanricarde)

Weis' "Ancestral Roots. . ." (177B:8), identifies him as the son of William and of a daughter of Donnel O'Brien and says he m. EGIDIA DE LACY. Stewart Baldwin argues that William de Burgh may have had two sons named Richard - the older one being the ancestor of the Earls of Ulster and the younger one the ancestor of the Burghs of Clanricard. It is the later that Irish sources identify as the son of the daughter of Domnal Mor. If there was only one Richard who was ancestor of both families, then we may have a legitimate descent from the Irish kings. If there were indeed two Richards, then the elder would most likely have been born by a different wife of William.

Sir Richard Mór de Burgh, 2d Lord of Connacht, a minor at his father's death in 1206, had seisin of his lands in 1214, when presumably he came of age. These lands included the following manors: Tibbraghny, Co. Kilkenny, Kilfeakle, Kilsheehan & Lisrothach in Co. Tipperary, Castleconnell, Inch St Lawrence & Castle Wilkin, all in barony of Clanwilliam Co. Limerick, and Carrigogunnell in Pubblebrian. In 1215 he obtained a grant of all the lands in Connacht which William his father had held of the King, for a yearly rent of 300 marks. The Annals of the Four Masters record that in 1220 Richard de Burgh and Walter de Lacy, Lord of Meath, returned from England to Ireland. Richard married de Lacy's daughter, Egidia de Lacy, sometime prior to 1225 and received with her the cantred of Eoghanacht Caisil with the castle of Ardmayle. He was also Lord of Trim Castle fater the death of his father-in-law. He was appointed Sheriff of Cork and in May 1223 was appointed Seneschal of Munster and Keeper of Limerick Castle, for which the crown-rent of 250 marks out of Decies and Desmond was assigned to him. On 22 Jun 1223 at Winchester, Earl William Marshal resigned as Justiciar and Geoffrey de Marisco was appointed in his place. He summoned Aedh O Conor, King of Connacht, son of Cathal Craobhdearg who was then in revolt, before the King's Court in Dublin "to surrender the land of Connaught, which he ought no longer to hold, on account of his father's and his own forfeiture." If Aedh refused to surrender, Greggrey was to take it into the King's hand. He was then to grant seisin thereof to Richard de Burgh to hold of the King at a rent of 300 marks for the first five years and 500 marks subsequently. Five of the best cantreds near Athlone Castle were to be reserved for the King's use. This was the legal position, but it still had to be enforced, so in 1227 Richard de Burgh made an expedition into Connacht where he overran the province while Aedh fled to O Donnell in Tirconnell. On 13 Feb 1228 Richard de Burgh was appointed Justiciar of Ireland, and assigned a salary of £500 year residing at Dublin Castle. He had previously been given custody of the counties of Cork and Waterford and of the crown lands of Decies and Desmond, rendering therefor 250 marks yearly. Now he began to divide Connacht up among his followers, de Lacys, Fitzgeralds, butlers, Petits, de Stauntons and Costelloes, and became King-maker of Connacht, appoint Aedh, son of Rory O Conor in preference to his elder brother, Turlough as King of Connacht. In 1232, he erected the castle of Galway, drove the O Flaherties into Connemara, and started building the City. On 29 Jun 122, Hubert de Burgh, was dismissed and disgraced, and the King fell under the influence of his old guardian Peter des Roches, Bishop of Winchester and his Poitevin nephew, Peter of Rivaux. With the fall of his uncle Hubert, Richard de Burgh speedily lost the King's favor, and was superseded in the office of Justiciar by Maurice FitzGerald. By spring 1234, Richard de Burgh regained the King's favor, and in October Richard's land in Connacht was regranted to him, with a clause that he should render to the king the service of 20 knights instead of ten. He was also ordered to exert himself to take possession of his lands. In 1235 there was a general muster of the feudal host under the Justiciar, Maurice FitzGerald to obtain the submission of Connacht. Among the leaders were Richard de Burgh and Hugh de Lacy. At first they went north from Athlone to Boyle Abbey, before turning south into Thomond in order to punish Donough Cairbreach O Brien for attacking the O Clearys and O Heynes of Hy Fiachrach Aidhne (South Galway) who had remained loyal to Richard de Burgh while he was out of favor with the King, the o Clearys, O Flahertys and O Heynes assisting the attack. As a result of this campaign, Connacht was partitioned between Richard de Burgh and Felim, son of Cathal O Conor, King of Connacht, the former getting the lion's share, but each holding their land from the King. After this, Richard kept an entourage of Knights, Barons and Gentlemen in his service. His coat of arms were "Or, a cross gules", that is a red cross on a gold background. He fought for the King in the wars in France and Scotland, and died in 1243 in Bordeaux, France, bringing his army to meet the King of England, Henry III.9


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Mor_de_Burgh
Richard Mor de Burgh, eldest son of William de Burgh; born about 1194, died 1243.[1] Richard was the founder of the towns of Ballinasloe, Loughrea and Galway.
In 1224, Richard claimed the land of Connacht, which had been granted to his father but never, in fact, handed over. He asserted that the grant to Cathal Crobdearg Ua Conchobair, the native king, after his father's death had been on condition of faithful service, and that his son Aedh mac Cathal Crobdearg Ua Conchobair, who succeeded him that year, had forfeited it. He had the favor of the justiciar, Hubert de Burgh (who may have been his uncle), and was awarded Connacht in May 1227. He was not immediately able to take possession, but in 1235, he summoned the whole feudal host of the Norman barons to aid him and expelled Felim mac Cathal Crobderg Ua Conchobair, the native king, from Connacht. He and his lieutenants received great shares of land, while Felim was obliged to do homage and was allowed only to rent the five Royal cantreds of Athlone from the Crown. De Burgh took the title of "Lord of Connacht".[1]
Richard was succeeded by his son, Walter de Burgh, 1st Earl of Ulster.
References
1. ^ a b Curtis, Edmund [1950] (2004). A History of Ireland, 6th ed., Routledge, 70–72. ISBN 0415279496.