O'Donovan
Encyclopedia
O'Donovan or Donovan is an Irish
surname, as well as a hereditary Gaelic title. It is also written Dhonnabháin in certain grammatical contexts, and Donndubháin, being originally composed of the elements donn, meaning lord or dark brown, dubh, meaning dark or black, and the diminutive suffix án. Ó derives from the earlier Ua, meaning grandson or descendant. Compare O'Donoghue
and O'Sullivan
, containing the same elements.
The O'Donovans are in origin descendants of the 10th century Donnubán mac Cathail
, ruler of the regional or sub-provincial kingdom of Uí Fidgenti
, as well as of his royal Norse
relations from Limerick
and probably also Waterford
. From his accession to the kingship in 962 to the death of Amlaíb Ua Donnubáin
in 1201, the family operated as a semi-independent to sometimes fully independent regional royal house within the larger provincial overkingdom of Munster
. In the 13th century the O'Donovans surrendered principal sovereignty to the Kingdom of Desmond and later Carbery, after playing a role in the formation of the latter principality. However, the leading dynasts of the family remained semi-sovereign prince
s or flatha underneath the MacCarthy Reagh
dynasty in Carbery, or perhaps even local petty kings. Nearly five centuries later and eighty years after the fall of the Gaelic order
, the O'Donovans were one of the few families of Carbery and Munster still allowed by the authorities to be of royal extraction. Today the head of the family is still counted among the leading Gaelic nobility of Ireland.
, the O'Donovans became Cairbre Eva (or Uí Chairpre, see map) princes of the ancient regional kingdom of the Uí Fidgenti
, once approximately co-extensive with the modern County Limerick
, and were for many centuries allies of the Eóganachta
, to whom they may be related by common descent from Ailill Flann Bec
(or Ailill Aulom
), or possibly by marriage, or both. Although allowed to be princely in multiple ancient sources, in the Irish class structure the dynasts of the Uí Fidgenti were only middle tier among the high nobility of the nation, as they never contested for the overlordship of the greater provincial kingdom of Munster
, to which they belonged. The Eóganachta were its overkings until 978, and then again for a period in the 12th century. But by a peculiar custom the Uí Fidgenti were also not regarded as "vassals" and did not pay rent, the result of an ancient military alliance with the early Eóganachta kings of Cashel
, probably their distant kinsmen. This bound them to support the Eóganachta on hostings outside the province and in the defense of Munster, which they did to the best of their ability.
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Their extensive territory followed Limerick's River Maigue
, before the Dál gCais
and O'Brien dynasty, and later the FitzGerald dynasty, forced them out of their territory between the late 12th and mid-13th century. At first they would wander into County Kerry
, but soon after appear in Carbery in the later County Cork
, where they would finally become vassal
s, in the more traditional sense, of the newly founded MacCarthy Reagh
dynasty. The O'Donovans appear to have been joined in Carbery by a junior sept of their Ó Coileáin
kinsmen from Uí Chonaill Gabra.
Later, the title Prince of Carbery (Cairbre) would be adopted by the MacCarthy Reaghs, although it is debated whether this is actually derived from the former name of the O'Donovans, and if so then what circumstances extended it well beyond the new territories belonging to the O'Donovans. In any case they were much favoured by the MacCarthy Reaghs, from whom they received the White Wand
. The leading family of the O'Donovans, Clann Cathail, paid to their overlords a surprisingly small, economically insignificant rent, but the precise reason for this is lost to history. Possibly earlier times were recalled, or it may be due to the special relationship they developed with Fíngin Reanna Róin Mac Carthaig (see below).
and his family, the O'Donovans are probably descended from the Norse Uí Ímair
, through a daughter of the Limerick king or possibly his son Óláf
(Amlaíb), married to the family's eponymous founder, Donnubán mac Cathail
, King of Uí Fidgenti. In fact for a number of generations after this the ethnicity of the early O'Donovans has been debated on occasion, the extent of intermarriage with the Norse believed to have been very considerable. It is also possible that a previous king of Limerick, Amlaíb Cenncairech
or "Sinful Head", was Donnubán's maternal grandfather.
Donndubhán mac Cathail is a major figure and opponent of Mathgamain mac Cennétig
and his brother Brian Bóruma in the Cogad Gáedel re Gallaib. He was in part responsible for the death of Mathgamain, and may or may not have been slain by Brian for it, together with his brother-in-law Harald Ivarsson (Aralt mac Ímair), newly elected King of the Foreigners of Munster, by Brian in or around the year 978 in the Battle of Cathair Cuan
. However, Donnubán's son Cathal mac Donnubáin
was later in 1014 probably one of the Munster kings supporting Brian in the Battle of Clontarf
.
Another figure was Donndubán mac Ímair (Ivarsson) of Waterford, a son of Ivar of Waterford
, presumably by a daughter of Donndubán mac Cathail. Mentioned twice in the Annals for his involvement in slayings, he was slain himself in or around the year 996. Because Ivar was apparently a grandson of the great Ragnall ua Ímair
, he is arguably the ultimate source for the recurrence of the name Ragnall
in the O'Donovan family, alongside Ímar
, Amlaíb
, and Lochlann
.
Finally, Amlaíb Ua Donnubáin
, the last known king of Uí Chairpre Áebda, was slain by William de Burgh
and the sons of Domnall Mór Ua Briain
in the year 1201. Olaf is almost certainly the last O'Donovan, King of Carbery. The line of Clan Cathail, Clan Aneislis, and Clan Loughlin comes through the contemporary Ragnall Ua Donnubáin, a near relation of Amlaíb. Ragnall's grandson was Crom Ua Donnubáin
, the second O'Donovan to be noted in County Cork after Amlaíb. Of the family remaining in County Limerick after the 13th century unfortunately little account is preserved.
Reverend John Begley (see references), of St. Munchin's, gives an account of the Christianization
of the Norse of Limerick by the O'Donovans, and their long intermarriage. Mainchín of Limerick is the patron saint of the Diocese of Limerick and Bruree
, and he may have been adopted by the Norse of Limerick city from the family. Begley argues that he was, but the O'Briens also claimed him indirectly at some point and obviously have their own supporters.
A medieval topographical poem has the following to say about the O'Donovan lands:
The longphort
s were the Viking ship fortresses and later settlements, although the term soon enough came to mean simply encampment. However, the original meaning remained in usage and in the 10th century there were at least two Norse longphuirt, extensions of Limerick, which were deep in Uí Chairpre controlled territory.
Many Irish families intermarried with the Scandinavians, but it was a question of degree and sometimes necessity. In their case the O'Donovans simply took a particularly large dose, and undoubtedly it was a mix of both Norwegian and Dane. Nearly all of the long history of the Norse in Munster has been lost, although those living in Uí Chairpre are not known to have left, being last noted in Donnubán's company in 978. The later advent of the Norman invasion of Ireland
ruined them as a political class. For the fate of the Limerick Norse see History of Limerick
. Only the Cotter family of East Cork
continue to prosper today in Ireland, but they are not of Limerick provenance.
From the later 16th century Scandinavian names have been very little used by the O'Donovan family, when once they were as popular as the Gaelic. With the Tudor conquest of Ireland pressures changed and the great Uí Ímair
became ancient history.
But see the important Ímar Ua Donnubáin
.
report that in 1205
Later in 1260 the O'Donovans are found raiding Norman lands alongside none other than Fíngin Reanna Róin Mac Carthaig, according to Norman documents. This was one year before his famous victory at the Battle of Callann
, where they are also believed to have been at his side. In 1259 he aided them in a fight against the O'Mahony
s, who appear to have been blamed for the slaying of Crom Ua Donnubáin
.
Up until this period the O'Donovans and O'Mahonys are generally regarded to have been allies and friends, their ancestors Máel Muad mac Brain
and Donnubán having joined forces against the Dál gCais in the 10th century.
, but mainly because the sources for Munster during this period are few. Fragmenting into several smaller-sized lordships, they were undoubtedly protected by the powerful MacCarthys Reagh throughout, of whom they were still the chief vassals. But one Domhnall Ó Donnabháin was Bishop of Ross in the mid-late 15th century, while the first of the family to be mentioned by name in the 16th century, one Donal mac Melaghlin O'Donovan, was killed for piracy
, along with his O'Driscoll
accomplices, by the lords of the O'Driscolls in 1551. The O'Driscolls were the family with whom the O'Donovans had the most excellent relations after the MacCarthys, which continued to be the case after this incident. Probably older, however, is the long and tumultuous relationship the O'Donovan family have with the O'Sullivan
s, documented from at least the 13th century, and which has involved an amount of minor warfare as well as intermarriage over the centuries, with both major septs of the O'Sullivan dynasty.
However, despite their relative obscurity for a period the O'Donovans were still counted among the 64 leading Gaelic families in all of Ireland in the mid-16th century Book of Howth list.
, Clancahill claimed to be the leading family of the O'Donovans, or O'Donovan Mor. But when they reappear in the mid-16th century they are found in a spectacular state of disorder and disrepair, with rival branches assassinating each other and each supported by more distantly related septs. Unfortunately this was common enough in Ireland. But it appears that by a fortuitous marriage to an O'Leary
of Carrignacurra and the ardent support of Clan Aneslis that the branch of the celebrated Donal of the Hides
were able to set aside their rivals, in the person of Diarmaid an Bhairc ("Dermot of the Bark", meaning born at sea), who were supported by Ire (Ivor) O'Donovan [Ó Donnabháin Íomhair] of the Sliocht Íomhair ("Seed of Ivor"), descendants of the legendary Ímar Ua Donnubáin
, younger son of Cathal, and also by the Sliocht Tioboit ("Seed of Toby"), another distinguished sept of Clancahill. In a terrible local conflict occurring in Rosscarbery
in 1560, where Diarmaid was being inaugurated with the White Wand
by the MacCarthy Reagh
, Donal, with Clan Aneslis and a contingent of O'Learys, stormed the town, slaying Diarmaid and a great number of the Sliocht Íomhair at the start, and others of his followers were soon found and slaughtered in the streets of the town. The MacCarthy Reagh, who would have been Cormac na Haoine MacCarthy Reagh, 10th Prince of Carbery
, then inaugurated Donal with the White Wand on the spot, declaring him "O'Donovan", after he had just run his kinsman Diarmaid through. Unfortunately what is alleged to have followed was the spread of this massacre to the countryside and the dispossession and almost total annihilation of the ancient Seed of Ivor, whose lands were taken and their castle demolished, after which they appear to have become supernatural. The fine people, lands and castle of Sliocht Tioboit then suffered the same fate.
Ellen O'Leary is believed to have come with a substantial dowry, which significantly improved Donal's fortunes. They were married at Dromale, and their issue was, among other sons, Donal II O'Donovan
, who may or may not have been a bastard born before their marriage was solemnised. In any case he succeeded to the chiefship in 1584, and received the White Wand from none other than his new father-in-law, Owen MacCarthy Reagh, 12th Prince of Carbery
, to whose daughter the Lady Joanna he was now married. This was an immense rise in Clancahill's fortunes, from where they had been less than three decades before, and the O'Donovans, or at least Clancahill, would now become a part of the greater aristocracy again for probably the first time in two centuries. The MacCarthy Reagh was the wealthiest prince in Ireland and the dowry was surely considerable, giving Donal the means to raise a small army and play a notable enough regional role in the Nine Years' War, joining the side of Hugh O'Neill. Previously he was actually married to Helena de Barry, daughter of William Barry of Barryroe, son of James de Barry, 4th Viscount Buttevant, and she was actually mother to his son and heir Donal III O'Donovan
, but it is not known in what year she may have died or was possibly divorced.
Donal III proved to be a warlike man and joined the so-called Irish Rebellion of 1641
under Donough MacCarthy, Viscount Muskerry, with the result that his lands were later wasted and two of his castles blown up by the Cromwellians. Later in the Irish Confederate Wars
he would assist his near neighbour, James Tuchet, 3rd Earl of Castlehaven
in the taking of a number of fortifications in County Cork. For all this he was eventually stripped of his estates by Oliver Cromwell
in 1652. Donal married Gylles O'Shaughnessy
, daughter of Sir Roger Gilla Dubh Ó Seachnasaigh
, The O'Shaughnessy, and his heir by her was Donal IV O'Donovan.
In 1660 Daniel IV was eventually restored to a small portion of his father's estates by the infamously ungrateful Charles II of England
, who gave the rest away to Cromwell's soldiers. In 1689 he joined the Patriot Parliament
of James II of England
, and in the next year, under Governor Sir Edward Scott, was the Deputy Governor of Charles Fort
, Kinsale
, when besieged by John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
(then 1st Earl). After holding out for ten days, they received guarantees before surrendering, O'Donovan delivered the keys to Marlborough, and they and the 1200 strong garrison were allowed to march out to Limerick. See Siege of Cork
.
Daniel IV's last descendant in the male line was Richard II O'Donovan
, who does not have the best reputation in the family, for willing the last of the ancient Clancahill estates, Bawnlahan, to the family of his wife, by whom he had no issue. At his death in 1829 the chiefship passed to the recent cadet line in the person of the Reverend Morgan O'Donovan of Montpelier, ancestor of the current O'Donovan. Reverend Morgan was a descendant of Teige O'Donovan, son of Donal II by the Lady Joanna née MacCarthy Reagh.
The grandson of the Reverend Morgan was Morgan William II O'Donovan
, who fought in the Second Boer War
1900-1902, and was mentioned is despatches. He was later Colonel of the 4th Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers
1903-1914. His mother was Amelia, daughter of Gerald de Courcy O'Grady
, The O'Grady.
Morgan William's son was Morgan John Winthrop O'Donovan
, who fought in World War I
and was decorated with the Military Cross
. He later commanded the 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers
during World War II
. His son is the present O'Donovan.
, The O'Donovan, by his wife Cornelia Bagnell (died 1974), he succeeded to the Chiefship in 1969. Educated at Stowe
and Trinity College, Cambridge
, The O'Donovan resides near Skibbereen
, in West Cork
. The Chief, now retired, was until recently a member of the General Synod of the Church of Ireland
, and has served as Chairman of the Standing Council of Irish Chiefs and Chieftains. He is married to Frances Jane, daughter of the late Sir Gerald Templer
, with whom his father served in the Royal Irish Fusiliers
. They have issue: a son and tánaiste, Morgan Teige Gerald (born 1961), and two daughters, Katharine Jane (born 1962) and Cecilia Mary Cornelia (born 1966) [married N.G.F. Chamberlain, 1996 and has issue].
Currently, O'Donovan is joined in Munster by O'Donoghue of the Glens
, McGillycuddy of the Reeks
, O'Callaghan (Tortosa
), and of course by the princely Baron Inchiquin
, and O'Grady
, the last his near cousin. O'Callaghan and O'Donoghue are more distant cousins through the MacCarthys. As a descendant of Gerald Mór FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Kildare through Prince Owen MacCarthy Reagh
, his very distant cousins also include the Duke of Leinster
and most modern sept chiefs and nobles of the O'Neill dynasty
. Furthermore, The Earl Spencer
and Princes William and Harry
are surprisingly near distant cousins to O'Donovan as they also happen to be descendants of Donal IV, in their case through the 1st Baron Fermoy
.
O'Donovan is profiled and interviewed by Ellis, Curley, and Chambers, for which see the list of references below.
Gaelic titles are historically difficult for outsiders to understand, because medieval Ireland recognized no less than three grades of king, in addition to other nobility. From the 10th to the beginning of the 13th century the O'Donovans were titled rí
or rig and belonged to the middle grade, either as kings of Uí Fidgenti, a once relatively large regional kingdom, or as kings of Uí Chairpre, itself a smaller but expanding regional kingdom containing at least two local petty kingdoms and a number of other tuath
a, as well as additional occupied and conquered territories, stretching into County Tipperary
and apparently including the majority of the lands surrounding Norse Limerick, according to the author of the Cogad Gáedel re Gallaib himself. According to the historian William F. T. Butler, Uí Chairpre alone contained six to as many as ten tuatha and Uí Chonaill sixteen more. A king of the middle or regional grade was known as a Ruiri or "over-king", and was of inferior rank only to a Rí ruirech or "king of overkings", generally otherwise known as a provincial king. No O'Donovan ever achieved this last rank, the family having risen in the wrong time and place to be contenders, which might be said for many families.
However, by becoming a feudal lord underneath the MacCarthy Reagh Princes of Carbery, one interpretation is that the O'Donovan effectively dropped this regional but genuine royal status. An alternative interpretation is that the White Wand proves the O'Donovans retained some extremely limited "royal" status and were simply downgraded to small petty kings or local Rí túaithe, an interpretation in modern scholarship. The leading O'Donovans were certainly flatha in either case, however obscure for periods.
, established themselves in County Wexford
. Many have distinguished themselves in political office and the military.
The current representative of Clan Loughlin and the Ballymore sept is the scholar Brian Donovan of Trinity College, Dublin
, a descendant of Donal Oge na Cartan O'Donovan, Lord of Clan Loughlin (died 1629). He is the CEO and co-founder of the historical research company Eneclann, based at Trinity.
. Unfortunately this is not very extensive. For the synthesized pedigrees themselves, see O'Donovan, O'Hart, Cronnelly, and also Todd, all in the list of references below. Each used the late medieval and early modern originals available to them. Burke is useful for the later lines.
(House of Ivar) themselves or at least incorporating one. A variant even appeared in the Encyclopedia Britannica for a few decades, namely that some O'Donovans are actually male line descendants of the son of Ivar of Waterford
mentioned above, so this has been no small rumour. But there is no secret, because although agreed upon by scholars to have been quite prominent during the second half of the 10th century and first two centuries of the second millennium, the family are poorly documented during this period, that is outside the major epic political tracts Cogad Gáedel re Gallaib and Caithréim Chellacháin Chaisil
, because the sources as they have come down to us are very fragmentary. The annals are full of gaps, and like the Uí Ímair themselves the O'Donovans were not the best record keepers and had no control over the writing of their history, which was influenced by usually hostile families. So the answer is no one knows. The Norse dynasty repeatedly used six names throughout their history and of these the O'Donovans were fond of no less than three, namely Ragnall, Amlaíb, and Ímar itself (the remaining three, Sitric, Gofraid, and Aralt, are unattested). Two of these even became sept names which were still known as late as the 17th century. The historical Sliocht Íomhair, who were undoubtedly considered O'Donovans, cannot even be attached to the main line with complete confidence. Furthermore Ragnall, the very favourite, and once as common or more in the family as any Gaelic name, was also the favourite name of the royal family of Waterford. So intermarriage is a 100% certainty even if the sources are few. The Scoto-Irish Clann Somhairle
, today represented mainly by the Clan Donald
, are also widely regarded to be at least maternal descendants of the Uí Ímair, even their successors in the Isles. They are fond to this day of two out of six, namely Ragnall and Gofraid.
was of course the leader of the expedition resulting in the death of Amlaíb in 1201, but the Burkes soon enough became very Gaelicized
and integrated into Irish society, sprouting numerous septs throughout the provinces. Some members of one of these from County Limerick may actually have settled in O'Donovan territory, on lands granted them within his own by Ímar Ua Donnubáin, according to a legend recorded by Edith Anna Somerville
.
, the former on the west side and the latter on the east, although before the 1560s the Clancahill portion appears to have been controlled by the Sliocht Íomhair. Clan Loughlin were seated at Cloghatradbally, now called Glandore Castle, a 13th century Norman castle built by the Barretts, from whom they took it. This is the sacred harbour of Clíodhna
.
Clancahill came to control half of Castlehaven
harbour as well, the ancient O'Driscolls of Corcu Loígde
in control of the other. From the ocean the territory of the O'Donovans then stretched north and northwest into the area of Drimoleague
, with the well known Castle Donovan
found in a valley not far from that village. This, up in the mountains, in a remote area, was the principal seat of the Clancahill main line until the early 17th century.
At what was probably their height in Carbery, between the late 16th century and their partial dispossession following the so-called Irish rebellion of 1641
and the Irish Confederate Wars
in the mid 17th, the O'Donovans were in control of approximately 100,000 acres right in the center of the principality, with territories both in West and East Carbery. Of this, however, only around 15,000 acres were usable as farmland. In the remaining they were still owed rents and had the rights to hold court(s), fairs, and so on. From the several harbours and bays they controlled actually came their chief income, which was the case for lords all along the South Munster coast. Following the Cromwellian confiscations, the infamously ungrateful Charles II of England
, after first giving his deceitful word he would restore them entirely, granted the vast majority to soldiers of Cromwell's army in lieu of pay. The O'Donovans would regain possession of less than one twentieth their former territories, a few thousand acres... although this was better than many Gaelic families did. The great MacCarthys Reagh lost virtually everything, receiving not enough back to even live on respectably, a few hundred acres out of the approaching 600 square miles (1,554 km²) they once controlled at their height (this included the O'Donovan territories, which were at one time probably much less than 100,000 acres), so they eventually left.
Clanlouglin lost their estates twice, first the majority of the fairly immense Manor of Glandore in the 1650s to Cromwell and his soldiers, and then the Manor of the Leap, a descendant of the remains of the former, in 1737, when one of their dynasts, Jeremiah II O'Donovan, sold it without consulting his family.
All of the known lands of the Clan Aineislis were confiscated and given away by Cromwell, after which the sept fall into obscurity.
In 1878 various branches of the O'Donovan family were reported successful (landed) and in possession of 17,213 acres of estates in several counties in southern Ireland, not counting estates and homesteads of less than 500 acres, and the loss of the Manor of Bawnlahan in 1829, which added would have substantially increased the total. By this time some had established themselves in England as well and were prospering, not to mention around the world.
, who claimed descent from a supposed son, Edmond, of Donal II O'Donovan
. He published an Irish Grammar and translated and edited the first complete edition of the Annals of the Four Masters
, and is often regarded as the greatest Irish scholar of the 19th century. The enormous amount of knowledge collected by John O'Donovan in the Irish countryside is still frequently relied upon for research, for example the recent title on Royal Inauguration in Gaelic Ireland by Elizabeth FitzPatrick.
A son of John O'Donovan was the war-correspondent Edmund O'Donovan
, famous for his journey to Merv
.
, whose grandfather Timothy O'Donovan was from Skibbereen, had traced his ancestry back to medieval times. But whatever genealogy there might have been is now lost, if so, and his sept may or may not ever be known. Wild Bill Donovan was the most decorated American soldier of World War I, and later headed the Office of Strategic Services
(OSS) in World War II. He is known as the "Father of American Intelligence" and the "Father of Central Intelligence."
William Joseph Donovan was a Knight of Malta and Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Sylvester
, the only American ever to be made the second.
, the prominent Fenian leader and writer, was most likely a descendant of the Clan Aineislis or MacEnesles O'Donovans, as discovered by himself and John O'Donovan. His descendants still live in both Rosscarbery
and Staten Island
, New York City
.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
surname, as well as a hereditary Gaelic title. It is also written Dhonnabháin in certain grammatical contexts, and Donndubháin, being originally composed of the elements donn, meaning lord or dark brown, dubh, meaning dark or black, and the diminutive suffix án. Ó derives from the earlier Ua, meaning grandson or descendant. Compare O'Donoghue
O'Donoghue
Donoghue or O'Donoghue is an Irish surname, an Anglicized form of the Gaelic Ó Donnchadha or Ó Donnchú ‘descendant of Donnchadh’, a personal name composed of the elements donn = ‘brown-haired man’ or ‘lord’ + cath = ‘battle’....
and O'Sullivan
O'Sullivan
O'Sullivan or simply Sullivan is an Irish surname, associated with the southwestern part of Ireland, originally found in County Tipperary before the Anglo-Norman invasion, then in County Cork and County Kerry, which due to emigration is also common in Australia, North America and Britain...
, containing the same elements.
The O'Donovans are in origin descendants of the 10th century Donnubán mac Cathail
Donnubán mac Cathail
Donnubán , Donndubán , or Donnabán mac Cathail, anglicised Donovan, son of Cahall , was a 10th century ruler of the Irish regional kingdom of Uí Fidgenti, and possibly also of the smaller overkingdom of Uí Chairpre Áebda within that...
, ruler of the regional or sub-provincial kingdom of Uí Fidgenti
Uí Fidgenti
The Uí Fidgenti or Wood-Sprung People were an early kingdom of northern Munster, situated mostly in modern County Limerick, but extending into County Clare and County Tipperary, and possibly even County Kerry and County Cork, at maximum extents, which varied over time...
, as well as of his royal Norse
Norsemen
Norsemen is used to refer to the group of people as a whole who spoke what is now called the Old Norse language belonging to the North Germanic branch of Indo-European languages, especially Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, Swedish and Danish in their earlier forms.The meaning of Norseman was "people...
relations from Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
and probably also Waterford
Waterford
Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...
. From his accession to the kingship in 962 to the death of Amlaíb Ua Donnubáin
Amlaíb Ua Donnubáin
Amlaíb Ua Donnubáin is the last member of the O'Donovan family to be styled king of Uí Chairpre Áebda in the Irish annals, and in fact the very last known king of this people....
in 1201, the family operated as a semi-independent to sometimes fully independent regional royal house within the larger provincial overkingdom of Munster
Munster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
. In the 13th century the O'Donovans surrendered principal sovereignty to the Kingdom of Desmond and later Carbery, after playing a role in the formation of the latter principality. However, the leading dynasts of the family remained semi-sovereign prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
s or flatha underneath the MacCarthy Reagh
MacCarthy Reagh
The MacCarthy Reagh dynasty are a branch of the great MacCarthy dynasty, Kings of Desmond, deriving from the ancient Eóganachta, of the central Eóganacht Chaisil sept. The MacCarthys Reagh seated themselves as Princes of Carbery in what is now southwestern County Cork in the 13th century...
dynasty in Carbery, or perhaps even local petty kings. Nearly five centuries later and eighty years after the fall of the Gaelic order
Gaelic Ireland
Gaelic Ireland is the name given to the period when a Gaelic political order existed in Ireland. The order continued to exist after the arrival of the Anglo-Normans until about 1607 AD...
, the O'Donovans were one of the few families of Carbery and Munster still allowed by the authorities to be of royal extraction. Today the head of the family is still counted among the leading Gaelic nobility of Ireland.
Two Carberys: princely vassals
A royal race in MunsterMunster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
, the O'Donovans became Cairbre Eva (or Uí Chairpre, see map) princes of the ancient regional kingdom of the Uí Fidgenti
Uí Fidgenti
The Uí Fidgenti or Wood-Sprung People were an early kingdom of northern Munster, situated mostly in modern County Limerick, but extending into County Clare and County Tipperary, and possibly even County Kerry and County Cork, at maximum extents, which varied over time...
, once approximately co-extensive with the modern County Limerick
County Limerick
It is thought that humans had established themselves in the Lough Gur area of the county as early as 3000 BC, while megalithic remains found at Duntryleague date back further to 3500 BC...
, and were for many centuries allies of the Eóganachta
Eóganachta
The Eóganachta or Eoghanachta were an Irish dynasty centred around Cashel which dominated southern Ireland from the 6/7th to the 10th centuries, and following that, in a restricted form, the Kingdom of Desmond, and its offshoot Carbery, well into the 16th century...
, to whom they may be related by common descent from Ailill Flann Bec
Ailill Flann Bec
Ailill Flann Bec, son of Fiachu Muillethan, was an Irish dynast belonging to the Deirgtine, the proto-historical ancestors of the historical Eóganachta dynasties of Munster. He was the father of Luigthech, also known as Lugaid, and thus the grandfather of Conall Corc...
(or Ailill Aulom
Ailill Aulom
In Irish traditional history Ailill Ollamh , son of Mug Nuadat, was a king of the southern half of Ireland. Sabia, daughter of Conn of the Hundred Battles, was his wife. He divided the kingdom between his sons Éogan, Cormac Cas, and Cian. Éogan founded the dynasty of the Eóganachta...
), or possibly by marriage, or both. Although allowed to be princely in multiple ancient sources, in the Irish class structure the dynasts of the Uí Fidgenti were only middle tier among the high nobility of the nation, as they never contested for the overlordship of the greater provincial kingdom of Munster
Munster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
, to which they belonged. The Eóganachta were its overkings until 978, and then again for a period in the 12th century. But by a peculiar custom the Uí Fidgenti were also not regarded as "vassals" and did not pay rent, the result of an ancient military alliance with the early Eóganachta kings of Cashel
Cashel, County Tipperary
Cashel is a town in South Tipperary in Ireland. Its population was 2936 at the 2006 census. The town gives its name to the ecclesiastical province of Cashel. Additionally, the cathedra of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly was originally in the town prior to the English Reformation....
, probably their distant kinsmen. This bound them to support the Eóganachta on hostings outside the province and in the defense of Munster, which they did to the best of their ability.
River Maigue
The River Maigue, rises in the Milford area of North County Cork, Ireland.It is joined by the small River Glen and the larger River Loobagh in south County Limerick. It then flows north through Bruree, after which it augmented by the River Morning Star...
, before the Dál gCais
Dál gCais
The Dál gCais were a dynastic group of related septs located in north Munster who rose to political prominence in the 10th century AD in Ireland. They claimed descent from Cormac Cas, or Cas mac Conall Echlúath, hence the term "Dál", meaning "portion" or "share" of Cas...
and O'Brien dynasty, and later the FitzGerald dynasty, forced them out of their territory between the late 12th and mid-13th century. At first they would wander into County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
, but soon after appear in Carbery in the later County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
, where they would finally become vassal
Vassal
A vassal or feudatory is a person who has entered into a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. The obligations often included military support and mutual protection, in exchange for certain privileges, usually including the grant of land held...
s, in the more traditional sense, of the newly founded MacCarthy Reagh
MacCarthy Reagh
The MacCarthy Reagh dynasty are a branch of the great MacCarthy dynasty, Kings of Desmond, deriving from the ancient Eóganachta, of the central Eóganacht Chaisil sept. The MacCarthys Reagh seated themselves as Princes of Carbery in what is now southwestern County Cork in the 13th century...
dynasty. The O'Donovans appear to have been joined in Carbery by a junior sept of their Ó Coileáin
Ó Coileáin
Ó Coileáin is a Modern Irish surname generally belonging to the descendants of the last leading family of the Uí Chonaill Gabra, a sept and small but notable overkingdom of medieval and ancient Ireland, based in western County Limerick...
kinsmen from Uí Chonaill Gabra.
Later, the title Prince of Carbery (Cairbre) would be adopted by the MacCarthy Reaghs, although it is debated whether this is actually derived from the former name of the O'Donovans, and if so then what circumstances extended it well beyond the new territories belonging to the O'Donovans. In any case they were much favoured by the MacCarthy Reaghs, from whom they received the White Wand
White Wand
The White Rod, White Wand, Rod of Inauguration, or Wand of Sovereignty, in the Irish language variously called the slat na ríghe and slat tighearnais , was the primary symbol of a Gaelic king or lord's legitimate authority and the principal prop used in his inauguration ceremony...
. The leading family of the O'Donovans, Clann Cathail, paid to their overlords a surprisingly small, economically insignificant rent, but the precise reason for this is lost to history. Possibly earlier times were recalled, or it may be due to the special relationship they developed with Fíngin Reanna Róin Mac Carthaig (see below).
Norse period
From their association with the far more famous Ivar of LimerickIvar of Limerick
Ivar of Limerick , died 977, was the last Norse king of the city-state of Limerick, and penultimate King of the Foreigners of Munster, reigning during the rise to power of the Dál gCais and the fall of the Eóganachta...
and his family, the O'Donovans are probably descended from the Norse Uí Ímair
Uí Ímair
The Uí Ímair , or Dynasty of Ivar, were an enormous royal and imperial Norse dynasty who ruled Northern England, the Irish Sea region and Kingdom of Dublin, and the western coast of Scotland, including the Hebrides, from the mid 9th century, losing control of the first in the mid 10th, but the rest...
, through a daughter of the Limerick king or possibly his son Óláf
OLAF
The European Anti-fraud Office is charged by the European Union with protecting the financial interests of the European Union: Its tasks are to fight fraud affecting the EU budget, as well as corruption and any other irregular activity, including misconduct, within the European Institutions, in an...
(Amlaíb), married to the family's eponymous founder, Donnubán mac Cathail
Donnubán mac Cathail
Donnubán , Donndubán , or Donnabán mac Cathail, anglicised Donovan, son of Cahall , was a 10th century ruler of the Irish regional kingdom of Uí Fidgenti, and possibly also of the smaller overkingdom of Uí Chairpre Áebda within that...
, King of Uí Fidgenti. In fact for a number of generations after this the ethnicity of the early O'Donovans has been debated on occasion, the extent of intermarriage with the Norse believed to have been very considerable. It is also possible that a previous king of Limerick, Amlaíb Cenncairech
Amlaíb Cenncairech
Amlaíb Cenncairech was a Norse ruler and presumably King of Limerick notable for his military activities in Ireland in the 930s, especially in the province of Connacht and apparently even in Ulster and Leinster...
or "Sinful Head", was Donnubán's maternal grandfather.
Donndubhán mac Cathail is a major figure and opponent of Mathgamain mac Cennétig
Mathgamain mac Cennétig
Mathgamain mac Cennétig was King of Munster from around 970 to his death in 976. He is the elder brother of Brian Bóruma and the ancestor of the McMahon family of County Clare in Western Ireland ....
and his brother Brian Bóruma in the Cogad Gáedel re Gallaib. He was in part responsible for the death of Mathgamain, and may or may not have been slain by Brian for it, together with his brother-in-law Harald Ivarsson (Aralt mac Ímair), newly elected King of the Foreigners of Munster, by Brian in or around the year 978 in the Battle of Cathair Cuan
Battle of Cathair Cuan
The Battle of Cathair Cuan refers to a perhaps extended conflict fought in or between 977 and 978, or simply to a single battle in one or the other year, in Munster in Ireland. Attacking were Brian Bóruma and the Dál gCais, while defending were Donnubán mac Cathail and the remainder of the royal...
. However, Donnubán's son Cathal mac Donnubáin
Cathal mac Donnubáin
Cathal mac Donnubáin is the second known son of Donnubán mac Cathail, king of Uí Fidgenti and an ancestor of the medieval and modern O'Donovan family. He may have succeeded his brother Uainide mac Donnubáin as King of Uí Chairpre Áebda at his death in 982, no ruler being known after that until 1014...
was later in 1014 probably one of the Munster kings supporting Brian in the Battle of Clontarf
Battle of Clontarf
The Battle of Clontarf took place on 23 April 1014 between the forces of Brian Boru and the forces led by the King of Leinster, Máel Mórda mac Murchada: composed mainly of his own men, Viking mercenaries from Dublin and the Orkney Islands led by his cousin Sigtrygg, as well as the one rebellious...
.
Ivar of Waterford
Ivar of Waterford was the Norse king of Waterford from at least 969 until his death in the year 1000, and also reigned as King of Dublin, possibly from 989 to 993, and certainly again for less than a year between 994 and 995, returning after his expulsion from the city in 993 by Sigtrygg...
, presumably by a daughter of Donndubán mac Cathail. Mentioned twice in the Annals for his involvement in slayings, he was slain himself in or around the year 996. Because Ivar was apparently a grandson of the great Ragnall ua Ímair
Ragnall ua Ímair
Ragnall was a Norse overlord or emperor of northern Britain, including Northumbria, the entire Irish Sea region including the Isle of Man, south to Waterford and briefly much of the Irish province of Munster, and then returning to Britain, briefly York as distinct from Northumbria at this time...
, he is arguably the ultimate source for the recurrence of the name Ragnall
Ragnall, Raghnall, and Raonull (names)
Ragnall, Raghnall, Raonall, and Raonull are masculine personal names or given names in several Gaelic languages....
in the O'Donovan family, alongside Ímar
Ivar
-Ancient:*Ivar Ragnarsson, Viking king** Uí Ímair , his probable descendants*** Ragnall ua Ímair*** Sihtric ua Ímair*** Gofraid ua Ímair*Ivar Vidfamne, legendary Danish king of at least Scania and Zealand...
, Amlaíb
Olaf
Olaf is a Germanic name of Proto-Germanic origin, meaning "ancestor's heirloom". It was borrowed into Old Irish and spelled Amlaíb. It may refer to:-Kings:Norse:*Olaf Haraldsson Geirstadalf, petty king...
, and Lochlann
Lochlann
Lochlann is a geographical region in Classical Gaelic literature and in the history of Early Medieval Ireland. In the modern Gaelic and Welsh languages it signifies Scandinavia, and more specifically Norway...
.
Finally, Amlaíb Ua Donnubáin
Amlaíb Ua Donnubáin
Amlaíb Ua Donnubáin is the last member of the O'Donovan family to be styled king of Uí Chairpre Áebda in the Irish annals, and in fact the very last known king of this people....
, the last known king of Uí Chairpre Áebda, was slain by William de Burgh
William de Burgh
William de Burgh, founder of the de Burgh/Burke/Bourke family of Ireland, d. 1206.-In Ireland:He arrived in Ireland in 1185 and was closely associated with Prince John....
and the sons of Domnall Mór Ua Briain
Domnall Mór Ua Briain
Domnall Mór Ua Briain, or Domnall Mór mac Toirrdelbach Ua Briain, was King of Thomond in Ireland from 1168 to 1194, and a claimant to the title King of Munster...
in the year 1201. Olaf is almost certainly the last O'Donovan, King of Carbery. The line of Clan Cathail, Clan Aneislis, and Clan Loughlin comes through the contemporary Ragnall Ua Donnubáin, a near relation of Amlaíb. Ragnall's grandson was Crom Ua Donnubáin
Crom Ua Donnubáin
An Crom Ua Donnubáin or Crom O'Donovan is the dynast recognized in all sources as the ancestor of all O'Donovans later found in Carbery in County Cork, and later still in distant County Wexford in Leinster. Nothing is known for sure of his life but his progeny, and the circumstances of his slaying...
, the second O'Donovan to be noted in County Cork after Amlaíb. Of the family remaining in County Limerick after the 13th century unfortunately little account is preserved.
Reverend John Begley (see references), of St. Munchin's, gives an account of the Christianization
Christianization
The historical phenomenon of Christianization is the conversion of individuals to Christianity or the conversion of entire peoples at once...
of the Norse of Limerick by the O'Donovans, and their long intermarriage. Mainchín of Limerick is the patron saint of the Diocese of Limerick and Bruree
Bruree
Bruree is a village in south-eastern County Limerick, Ireland, on the River Maigue. It takes its name from the nearby ancient royal fortress, the alternative name of which from the earliest times into the High Middle Ages was Dún Eochair Maigue or the Fortress on the Brink of the Maigue.- History...
, and he may have been adopted by the Norse of Limerick city from the family. Begley argues that he was, but the O'Briens also claimed him indirectly at some point and obviously have their own supporters.
A medieval topographical poem has the following to say about the O'Donovan lands:
The longphort
Longphort
A longphort is a term used in Ireland for a Viking ship enclosure or shore fortress. Longphorts were originally built to serve as camps for the raiding parties in...
s were the Viking ship fortresses and later settlements, although the term soon enough came to mean simply encampment. However, the original meaning remained in usage and in the 10th century there were at least two Norse longphuirt, extensions of Limerick, which were deep in Uí Chairpre controlled territory.
Many Irish families intermarried with the Scandinavians, but it was a question of degree and sometimes necessity. In their case the O'Donovans simply took a particularly large dose, and undoubtedly it was a mix of both Norwegian and Dane. Nearly all of the long history of the Norse in Munster has been lost, although those living in Uí Chairpre are not known to have left, being last noted in Donnubán's company in 978. The later advent of the Norman invasion of Ireland
Norman Invasion of Ireland
The Norman invasion of Ireland was a two-stage process, which began on 1 May 1169 when a force of loosely associated Norman knights landed near Bannow, County Wexford...
ruined them as a political class. For the fate of the Limerick Norse see History of Limerick
History of Limerick
The history of Limerick , stretches back to its establishment by the Vikings as a walled city on King's Island in 812, and its charter in 1197....
. Only the Cotter family of East Cork
East Cork
East Cork lies in south-west Ireland in Ireland's largest county, Co. Cork.East Cork contains the world's second largest natural harbour Cork Harbour, which is also home to the world's oldest yacht club. St...
continue to prosper today in Ireland, but they are not of Limerick provenance.
From the later 16th century Scandinavian names have been very little used by the O'Donovan family, when once they were as popular as the Gaelic. With the Tudor conquest of Ireland pressures changed and the great Uí Ímair
Uí Ímair
The Uí Ímair , or Dynasty of Ivar, were an enormous royal and imperial Norse dynasty who ruled Northern England, the Irish Sea region and Kingdom of Dublin, and the western coast of Scotland, including the Hebrides, from the mid 9th century, losing control of the first in the mid 10th, but the rest...
became ancient history.
But see the important Ímar Ua Donnubáin
Ímar Ua Donnubáin
Ímar Ua Donnubáin or Ivor O'Donovan, and possibly nicknamed Gilla Riabach, was a legendary and celebrated petty king, navigator, trader, and reputedly necromancer of 13th century Ireland belonging to the O'Donovan family. He may or may not have been the second son of Cathal, son of Crom Ua...
.
Final ancient deeds
The O'Donovans are first found associated with the MacCarthys only four years after the death of Amlaíb. The Annals of InisfallenAnnals of Inisfallen
The Annals of Inisfallen are a chronicle of the medieval history of Ireland. There are more than 2,500 entries spanning the years between AD 433 and AD 1450, but it is believed to have been written between the 12th and 15th centuries...
report that in 1205
Later in 1260 the O'Donovans are found raiding Norman lands alongside none other than Fíngin Reanna Róin Mac Carthaig, according to Norman documents. This was one year before his famous victory at the Battle of Callann
Battle of Callann
The Battle of Callann was fought in 1261 between the Normans, under John FitzGerald, 1st Baron Desmond, and the Gaelic forces of Fínghin Mac Carthaigh, King of Desmond, ancestor of the MacCarthy Reagh dynasty. MacCarthy was victorious...
, where they are also believed to have been at his side. In 1259 he aided them in a fight against the O'Mahony
O'Mahony
O'Mahony or O'Mahoney, or simply Mahony or Mahoney, without the prefix, is an Irish surname, and may refer to:The O'Mahonys were Cenél nÁeda princes of the ancient Eóganacht Raithlind...
s, who appear to have been blamed for the slaying of Crom Ua Donnubáin
Crom Ua Donnubáin
An Crom Ua Donnubáin or Crom O'Donovan is the dynast recognized in all sources as the ancestor of all O'Donovans later found in Carbery in County Cork, and later still in distant County Wexford in Leinster. Nothing is known for sure of his life but his progeny, and the circumstances of his slaying...
.
Up until this period the O'Donovans and O'Mahonys are generally regarded to have been allies and friends, their ancestors Máel Muad mac Brain
Máel Muad mac Brain
Máel Muad mac Brain , commonly anglicised Molloy, was King of Munster, first possibly from 959 or alternatively 963 to around 970, when he may have been deposed by Mathgamain mac Cennétig of the Dál gCais, and then again from 976, following his putting to death of the latter, until his own death...
and Donnubán having joined forces against the Dál gCais in the 10th century.
Later history
Following an active 13th century, after their move south the O'Donovans appear to fall into relative obscurity for approximately two centuries, in part because they were the last of the powerful Munster dynasties to fall under the Kingdom of Desmond, some two centuries after the Eóganacht ChaisilEóganacht Chaisil
Eóganacht Chaisil were a branch of the Eóganachta, the ruling dynasty of Munster during the 5th-10th centuries. They took their name from Cashel which was the capital of the early Christian kingdom of Munster...
, but mainly because the sources for Munster during this period are few. Fragmenting into several smaller-sized lordships, they were undoubtedly protected by the powerful MacCarthys Reagh throughout, of whom they were still the chief vassals. But one Domhnall Ó Donnabháin was Bishop of Ross in the mid-late 15th century, while the first of the family to be mentioned by name in the 16th century, one Donal mac Melaghlin O'Donovan, was killed for piracy
Piracy
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea. The term can include acts committed on land, in the air, or in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the perpetrator...
, along with his O'Driscoll
Corcu Loígde
The Corcu Loígde , meaning Gens of the Calf Goddess, also called the Síl Lugdach meic Itha, were a kingdom centered in West County Cork who descended from the proto-historical rulers of Munster, the Dáirine, of whom they were the principal royal sept...
accomplices, by the lords of the O'Driscolls in 1551. The O'Driscolls were the family with whom the O'Donovans had the most excellent relations after the MacCarthys, which continued to be the case after this incident. Probably older, however, is the long and tumultuous relationship the O'Donovan family have with the O'Sullivan
O'Sullivan
O'Sullivan or simply Sullivan is an Irish surname, associated with the southwestern part of Ireland, originally found in County Tipperary before the Anglo-Norman invasion, then in County Cork and County Kerry, which due to emigration is also common in Australia, North America and Britain...
s, documented from at least the 13th century, and which has involved an amount of minor warfare as well as intermarriage over the centuries, with both major septs of the O'Sullivan dynasty.
However, despite their relative obscurity for a period the O'Donovans were still counted among the 64 leading Gaelic families in all of Ireland in the mid-16th century Book of Howth list.
Clancahill
As the descendants of Cathal Ua Donnubáin, eldest son of Crom Ua DonnubáinCrom Ua Donnubáin
An Crom Ua Donnubáin or Crom O'Donovan is the dynast recognized in all sources as the ancestor of all O'Donovans later found in Carbery in County Cork, and later still in distant County Wexford in Leinster. Nothing is known for sure of his life but his progeny, and the circumstances of his slaying...
, Clancahill claimed to be the leading family of the O'Donovans, or O'Donovan Mor. But when they reappear in the mid-16th century they are found in a spectacular state of disorder and disrepair, with rival branches assassinating each other and each supported by more distantly related septs. Unfortunately this was common enough in Ireland. But it appears that by a fortuitous marriage to an O'Leary
O'Leary
O'Leary is an Irish name, an anglicized version of the original Gaelic patronym Ó Laoghaire or Ó Laoire.The Uí Laoghaire clan, today associated with the Uibh Laoghaire parish in County Cork, is considered by scholars to have originated on the south-west coast, in the area of Ros Ó gCairbre , of...
of Carrignacurra and the ardent support of Clan Aneslis that the branch of the celebrated Donal of the Hides
Donal of the Hides
Donal of the Skins or Hides , also called Peltry O'Donovan or simply Donal I O'Donovan , was The O'Donovan Mor, Lord of Clancahill from his inauguration with the White Wand circa 1560 by the MacCarthy Reagh, Prince of Carbery, to his death in 1584...
were able to set aside their rivals, in the person of Diarmaid an Bhairc ("Dermot of the Bark", meaning born at sea), who were supported by Ire (Ivor) O'Donovan [Ó Donnabháin Íomhair] of the Sliocht Íomhair ("Seed of Ivor"), descendants of the legendary Ímar Ua Donnubáin
Ímar Ua Donnubáin
Ímar Ua Donnubáin or Ivor O'Donovan, and possibly nicknamed Gilla Riabach, was a legendary and celebrated petty king, navigator, trader, and reputedly necromancer of 13th century Ireland belonging to the O'Donovan family. He may or may not have been the second son of Cathal, son of Crom Ua...
, younger son of Cathal, and also by the Sliocht Tioboit ("Seed of Toby"), another distinguished sept of Clancahill. In a terrible local conflict occurring in Rosscarbery
Rosscarbery
Rosscarbery or Roscarbery is a town in County Cork, Ireland. The town is on a shallow estuary, which opens onto Rosscarbery Bay.-History:...
in 1560, where Diarmaid was being inaugurated with the White Wand
White Wand
The White Rod, White Wand, Rod of Inauguration, or Wand of Sovereignty, in the Irish language variously called the slat na ríghe and slat tighearnais , was the primary symbol of a Gaelic king or lord's legitimate authority and the principal prop used in his inauguration ceremony...
by the MacCarthy Reagh
MacCarthy Reagh
The MacCarthy Reagh dynasty are a branch of the great MacCarthy dynasty, Kings of Desmond, deriving from the ancient Eóganachta, of the central Eóganacht Chaisil sept. The MacCarthys Reagh seated themselves as Princes of Carbery in what is now southwestern County Cork in the 13th century...
, Donal, with Clan Aneslis and a contingent of O'Learys, stormed the town, slaying Diarmaid and a great number of the Sliocht Íomhair at the start, and others of his followers were soon found and slaughtered in the streets of the town. The MacCarthy Reagh, who would have been Cormac na Haoine MacCarthy Reagh, 10th Prince of Carbery
Cormac na Haoine MacCarthy Reagh, 10th Prince of Carbery
Cormac na Haoine was the 10th Prince of Carbery from 1531–1567. He belonged to the MacCarthy Reagh dynasty.He was the eldest son of Donal MacCarthy Reagh, 9th Prince of Carbery Cormac na Haoine (1490–1567) was the 10th Prince of Carbery from 1531–1567. He belonged to the MacCarthy Reagh...
, then inaugurated Donal with the White Wand on the spot, declaring him "O'Donovan", after he had just run his kinsman Diarmaid through. Unfortunately what is alleged to have followed was the spread of this massacre to the countryside and the dispossession and almost total annihilation of the ancient Seed of Ivor, whose lands were taken and their castle demolished, after which they appear to have become supernatural. The fine people, lands and castle of Sliocht Tioboit then suffered the same fate.
Ellen O'Leary is believed to have come with a substantial dowry, which significantly improved Donal's fortunes. They were married at Dromale, and their issue was, among other sons, Donal II O'Donovan
Donal II O'Donovan
Donal II O'Donovan , The O'Donovan of Clann Cathail, Lord of Clancahill , was the son of Ellen O'Leary, daughter of O'Leary of Carrignacurra, and Donal of the Skins, The O'Donovan of Clann Cathail....
, who may or may not have been a bastard born before their marriage was solemnised. In any case he succeeded to the chiefship in 1584, and received the White Wand from none other than his new father-in-law, Owen MacCarthy Reagh, 12th Prince of Carbery
Owen MacCarthy Reagh, 12th Prince of Carbery
Owen MacCarthy Reagh was the 12th Prince of Carbery from 1576 to 1592. He belonged to the MacCarthy Reagh dynasty. Owen is commonly called "Sir" Owen MacCarthy in the English records but this may have been only for convenience, for the MacCarthys Reagh were foreign princes at this time, if...
, to whose daughter the Lady Joanna he was now married. This was an immense rise in Clancahill's fortunes, from where they had been less than three decades before, and the O'Donovans, or at least Clancahill, would now become a part of the greater aristocracy again for probably the first time in two centuries. The MacCarthy Reagh was the wealthiest prince in Ireland and the dowry was surely considerable, giving Donal the means to raise a small army and play a notable enough regional role in the Nine Years' War, joining the side of Hugh O'Neill. Previously he was actually married to Helena de Barry, daughter of William Barry of Barryroe, son of James de Barry, 4th Viscount Buttevant, and she was actually mother to his son and heir Donal III O'Donovan
Donal III O'Donovan
Donal III O'Donovan , The O'Donovan of Clancahill, born before 1584, was the son of Helena de Barry and Donal II O'Donovan, The O'Donovan of Clancahill...
, but it is not known in what year she may have died or was possibly divorced.
Donal III proved to be a warlike man and joined the so-called Irish Rebellion of 1641
Irish Rebellion of 1641
The Irish Rebellion of 1641 began as an attempted coup d'état by Irish Catholic gentry, who tried to seize control of the English administration in Ireland to force concessions for the Catholics living under English rule...
under Donough MacCarthy, Viscount Muskerry, with the result that his lands were later wasted and two of his castles blown up by the Cromwellians. Later in the Irish Confederate Wars
Irish Confederate Wars
This article is concerned with the military history of Ireland from 1641-53. For the political context of this conflict, see Confederate Ireland....
he would assist his near neighbour, James Tuchet, 3rd Earl of Castlehaven
James Tuchet, 3rd Earl of Castlehaven
James Tuchet, 3rd Earl of Castlehaven was the son of Mervyn Tuchet, 2nd Earl of Castlehaven and his first wife, Elizabeth Barnham...
in the taking of a number of fortifications in County Cork. For all this he was eventually stripped of his estates by Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
in 1652. Donal married Gylles O'Shaughnessy
O'Shaughnessy
Ó Seachnasaigh, O'Shaughnessy, collectively Uí Sheachnasaigh, clan name Cinél nAedha na hEchtghe, is a family surname of Irish origin.The name is found primarily in County Galway and County Limerick...
, daughter of Sir Roger Gilla Dubh Ó Seachnasaigh
Roger Gilla Dubh Ó Seachnasaigh
Sir Ruadhri Gilla Dubh Ó Seachnasaigh , Chief of the Name, 1583–1650.-Biography:Ó Seachnasaigh was married to Elis Lynch at the time of his father's death, by whom he had his heir, Sir Dermot, and a daughter, Gyles...
, The O'Shaughnessy, and his heir by her was Donal IV O'Donovan.
In 1660 Daniel IV was eventually restored to a small portion of his father's estates by the infamously ungrateful Charles II of England
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
, who gave the rest away to Cromwell's soldiers. In 1689 he joined the Patriot Parliament
Patriot Parliament
The Patriot Parliament is the name given to the session of the Irish Parliament called by King James II of Ireland during the War of the Two Kings in 1689. The parliament met in one session, from 7 May 1689 to 20 July 1689, and was the only session of the Irish Parliament under King James II.The...
of James II of England
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
, and in the next year, under Governor Sir Edward Scott, was the Deputy Governor of Charles Fort
Charles Fort (Ireland)
Charles Fort is a star fort located on the water's edge, at the southern end of the village of Summer Cove, on Kinsale harbour, County Cork, Ireland. James' Fort is located on the other side of the harbour....
, Kinsale
Kinsale
Kinsale is a town in County Cork, Ireland. Located some 25 km south of Cork City on the coast near the Old Head of Kinsale, it sits at the mouth of the River Bandon and has a population of 2,257 which increases substantially during the summer months when the tourist season is at its peak and...
, when besieged by John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Prince of Mindelheim, KG, PC , was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs through the late 17th and early 18th centuries...
(then 1st Earl). After holding out for ten days, they received guarantees before surrendering, O'Donovan delivered the keys to Marlborough, and they and the 1200 strong garrison were allowed to march out to Limerick. See Siege of Cork
Siege of Cork
The Siege of Cork took place during the Williamite war in Ireland in the year of 1690, shortly after the Battle of the Boyne when James II attempted to retake the English throne from King William III....
.
Daniel IV's last descendant in the male line was Richard II O'Donovan
Richard II O'Donovan
General Richard O'Donovan II, The O'Donovan of Clancahill, born 1764 or 1768, was the son of Jane Becher, daughter of John Becher, and Daniel V O'Donovan, The O'Donovan of Clancahill....
, who does not have the best reputation in the family, for willing the last of the ancient Clancahill estates, Bawnlahan, to the family of his wife, by whom he had no issue. At his death in 1829 the chiefship passed to the recent cadet line in the person of the Reverend Morgan O'Donovan of Montpelier, ancestor of the current O'Donovan. Reverend Morgan was a descendant of Teige O'Donovan, son of Donal II by the Lady Joanna née MacCarthy Reagh.
The grandson of the Reverend Morgan was Morgan William II O'Donovan
Morgan William II O'Donovan
Morgan William II O'Donovan , The O'Donovan, held the position of The O'Donovan from 1890 to his death in 1940. He was the son of Henry Winthrop O'Donovan, The O'Donovan, and Amelia O'Grady, daughter of Gerald de Courcy O'Grady, The O'Grady, and Anne Wise...
, who fought in the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
1900-1902, and was mentioned is despatches. He was later Colonel of the 4th Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers
Royal Munster Fusiliers
The Royal Munster Fusiliers was a regular infantry regiment of the British Army. One of eight Irish regiments raised largely in Ireland, it had its home depot in Tralee. It was originally formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of two regiments of the former East India Company. It served in India and...
1903-1914. His mother was Amelia, daughter of Gerald de Courcy O'Grady
O'Grady family
The O'Grady family, also styled O'Grady of Kilballyowen, is one of Ireland's noble families and surviving Chiefs of the Name.They belong to the Dál gCais kindred and are distant cousins to the famous O'Brien dynasty, but have since the Middle Ages been based not in County Clare, from where they...
, The O'Grady.
Morgan William's son was Morgan John Winthrop O'Donovan
Morgan John Winthrop O'Donovan
Morgan John Winthrop O'Donovan , The O'Donovan, MC, held the position of The O'Donovan from 1940 to his death in 1969. He was the son of Morgan William II O'Donovan, The O'Donovan, and Mary Eleanor Barton, and was a descendant of Donal II O'Donovan, The O'Donovan of Clancahill, the last such to be...
, who fought in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and was decorated with the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
. He later commanded the 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers
Royal Irish Fusiliers
The Royal Irish Fusiliers was an Irish infantry regiment of the British Army, formed by the amalgamation of the 87th Regiment of Foot and the 89th Regiment of Foot in 1881. The regiment's first title in 1881 was Princess Victoria's , changed in 1920 to The Royal Irish Fusiliers...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. His son is the present O'Donovan.
The O'Donovan
Morgan Gerald Daniel O'Donovan (Murchadh Gearóid Dónal Ó Donnabháin) is The O'Donovan, Chief of his Name and Arms, formerly styled Lord of Clancahill and O'Donovan Mor (all three are equivalent). Born in Pau, France, in 1931, the son of the late Morgan John Winthrop O'DonovanMorgan John Winthrop O'Donovan
Morgan John Winthrop O'Donovan , The O'Donovan, MC, held the position of The O'Donovan from 1940 to his death in 1969. He was the son of Morgan William II O'Donovan, The O'Donovan, and Mary Eleanor Barton, and was a descendant of Donal II O'Donovan, The O'Donovan of Clancahill, the last such to be...
, The O'Donovan, by his wife Cornelia Bagnell (died 1974), he succeeded to the Chiefship in 1969. Educated at Stowe
Stowe School
Stowe School is an independent school in Stowe, Buckinghamshire. It was founded on 11 May 1923 by J. F. Roxburgh, initially with 99 male pupils. It is a member of the Rugby Group and Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. The school is also a member of the G20 Schools Group...
and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, The O'Donovan resides near Skibbereen
Skibbereen
Skibbereen , is a town in County Cork, Ireland. It is the most southerly town in Ireland. It is located on the N71 national secondary road.The name "Skibbereen" means "little boat harbour." The River Ilen which runs through the town reaches the sea at Baltimore.-History:Prior to 1600 most of the...
, in West Cork
West Cork
West Cork refers to a geographical area in south-west Ireland, lying within Ireland's largest county, County Cork. Traditionally a popular tourist destination, the area is seen as being distinct from the more populated northern or eastern parts of the county, as well as the more urban area of...
. The Chief, now retired, was until recently a member of the General Synod of the Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
, and has served as Chairman of the Standing Council of Irish Chiefs and Chieftains. He is married to Frances Jane, daughter of the late Sir Gerald Templer
Gerald Templer
Field Marshal Sir Gerald Walter Robert Templer KG, GCB, GCMG, KBE was a British military commander. He is best known for his defeat of the guerrilla rebels in Malaya between 1952 and 1954...
, with whom his father served in the Royal Irish Fusiliers
Royal Irish Fusiliers
The Royal Irish Fusiliers was an Irish infantry regiment of the British Army, formed by the amalgamation of the 87th Regiment of Foot and the 89th Regiment of Foot in 1881. The regiment's first title in 1881 was Princess Victoria's , changed in 1920 to The Royal Irish Fusiliers...
. They have issue: a son and tánaiste, Morgan Teige Gerald (born 1961), and two daughters, Katharine Jane (born 1962) and Cecilia Mary Cornelia (born 1966) [married N.G.F. Chamberlain, 1996 and has issue].
Currently, O'Donovan is joined in Munster by O'Donoghue of the Glens
O'Donoghue of the Glens
The O'Donoghue of the Glens , Prince of Glenflesk, is the hereditary chieftain of his sept of the Kerry Eóganacht...
, McGillycuddy of the Reeks
McGillycuddy of the Reeks
The McGillycuddy of the Reeks is one of the hereditary chiefs of the name of Ireland. The current family head is Donough McGillycuddy, who lives in Himeville, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.-Mythology:...
, O'Callaghan (Tortosa
Tortosa
-External links:* *** * * *...
), and of course by the princely Baron Inchiquin
Baron Inchiquin
Baron Inchiquin is one of the older titles in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1543 for Murrough O'Brien, Prince of Thomond, who was descended from the great high king Brian Boru)...
, and O'Grady
O'Grady family
The O'Grady family, also styled O'Grady of Kilballyowen, is one of Ireland's noble families and surviving Chiefs of the Name.They belong to the Dál gCais kindred and are distant cousins to the famous O'Brien dynasty, but have since the Middle Ages been based not in County Clare, from where they...
, the last his near cousin. O'Callaghan and O'Donoghue are more distant cousins through the MacCarthys. As a descendant of Gerald Mór FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Kildare through Prince Owen MacCarthy Reagh
Owen MacCarthy Reagh, 12th Prince of Carbery
Owen MacCarthy Reagh was the 12th Prince of Carbery from 1576 to 1592. He belonged to the MacCarthy Reagh dynasty. Owen is commonly called "Sir" Owen MacCarthy in the English records but this may have been only for convenience, for the MacCarthys Reagh were foreign princes at this time, if...
, his very distant cousins also include the Duke of Leinster
Duke of Leinster
Duke of Leinster is a title in the Peerage of Ireland and the premier dukedom in that peerage. The title refers to Leinster, but unlike the province the title is pronounced "Lin-ster"...
and most modern sept chiefs and nobles of the O'Neill dynasty
O'Neill dynasty
The O'Neill dynasty is a group of families that have held prominent positions and titles throughout European history. The O'Neills take their name from Niall Glúndub, an early 10th century High King of Ireland from the Cenél nEógain...
. Furthermore, The Earl Spencer
Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer
Charles Edward Maurice Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, DL , styled Viscount Althorp between 1975 and 1992, is a British peer and brother of Diana, Princess of Wales...
and Princes William and Harry
Prince Harry of Wales
Prince Henry of Wales , commonly known as Prince Harry, is the younger son of Charles, Prince of Wales and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and fourth grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
are surprisingly near distant cousins to O'Donovan as they also happen to be descendants of Donal IV, in their case through the 1st Baron Fermoy
Edmond Roche, 1st Baron Fermoy
Edmond Burke Roche, 1st Baron Fermoy was an Irish Member of Parliament.Fermoy was the son of Edward Roche and Margaret Honoria Curtain. He was elected to the House of Commons for County Cork in 1837, a seat he held until 1855, and then represented Marylebone between 1859 and 1865. In 1855 he was...
.
O'Donovan is profiled and interviewed by Ellis, Curley, and Chambers, for which see the list of references below.
Gaelic rank and titles
Gaelic titles are historically difficult for outsiders to understand, because medieval Ireland recognized no less than three grades of king, in addition to other nobility. From the 10th to the beginning of the 13th century the O'Donovans were titled rí
Rí
Rí, or very commonly ríg , is an ancient Gaelic word meaning "King". It is used in historical texts referring to the Irish and Scottish kings and those of similar rank. While the modern Irish word is exactly the same, in modern Scottish it is Rìgh, apparently derived from the genitive. The word...
or rig and belonged to the middle grade, either as kings of Uí Fidgenti, a once relatively large regional kingdom, or as kings of Uí Chairpre, itself a smaller but expanding regional kingdom containing at least two local petty kingdoms and a number of other tuath
Tuath
Túath is an Old Irish word, often translated as "people" or "nation". It is cognate with the Welsh and Breton tud , and with the Germanic þeudō ....
a, as well as additional occupied and conquered territories, stretching into County Tipperary
County Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
and apparently including the majority of the lands surrounding Norse Limerick, according to the author of the Cogad Gáedel re Gallaib himself. According to the historian William F. T. Butler, Uí Chairpre alone contained six to as many as ten tuatha and Uí Chonaill sixteen more. A king of the middle or regional grade was known as a Ruiri or "over-king", and was of inferior rank only to a Rí ruirech or "king of overkings", generally otherwise known as a provincial king. No O'Donovan ever achieved this last rank, the family having risen in the wrong time and place to be contenders, which might be said for many families.
However, by becoming a feudal lord underneath the MacCarthy Reagh Princes of Carbery, one interpretation is that the O'Donovan effectively dropped this regional but genuine royal status. An alternative interpretation is that the White Wand proves the O'Donovans retained some extremely limited "royal" status and were simply downgraded to small petty kings or local Rí túaithe, an interpretation in modern scholarship. The leading O'Donovans were certainly flatha in either case, however obscure for periods.
Clanloughlin and Ballymore
These O'Donovans are notable for many accomplishments. A important junior sept, the Donovans of BallymoreBallymore
Ballymore may refer to:*Ballymore , an Irish property company*Ballymore, County Cork, village on Great Island, Cork Harbour, Ireland*Ballymore, County Donegal, Ireland*Ballymore, County Westmeath, Ireland*Ballymore, County Wexford, Ireland...
, established themselves in County Wexford
County Wexford
County Wexford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wexford. In pre-Norman times it was part of the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig, whose capital was at Ferns. Wexford County Council is the local...
. Many have distinguished themselves in political office and the military.
- Jeremiah O'Donovan (MP Baltimore)Jeremiah O'Donovan (MP Baltimore)Jeremiah O'Donovan , The O'Donovan of Clan Loughlin, Lord of Clan Loughlin, was MP for Baltimore, County Cork, Ireland, in James II's Patriot Parliament of 1689, alongside his kinsmen Daniel O'Donovan of Clancahill and Daniel O'Donovan .Obtaining letters patent from Charles II, his extensive...
- Juliana Donovan, Countess of AngleseyJuliana Donovan, Countess of AngleseyJuliana Donovan, Countess of Anglesey , was the 2nd or 3rd wife and later widow of the notorious Richard Annesley, 6th Earl of Anglesey, and mother of his son and heir Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Mountnorris...
- scandalized widow of Richard Annesley, 6th Earl of AngleseyRichard Annesley, 6th Earl of AngleseyRichard Annesley, 6th Earl of Anglesey , known as The Lord Altham between 1727 and 1737, was an Irish peer and governor of Wexford. He is known for the doubts surrounding his claim to the barony of Altham, and for the questions as to the legitimacy of his marriages and therefore his son's claim to... - Edward Westby DonovanEdward Westby DonovanLieutenant General Edward Westby Donovan was Commander of British Troops in China, Hong Kong and the Straits Settlements.-Military career:...
- fought in the Crimean War, later Commander of British Troops in Hong Kong. Chevalier of the Légion d'honneurLégion d'honneurThe Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
.
The current representative of Clan Loughlin and the Ballymore sept is the scholar Brian Donovan of Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, a descendant of Donal Oge na Cartan O'Donovan, Lord of Clan Loughlin (died 1629). He is the CEO and co-founder of the historical research company Eneclann, based at Trinity.
Pedigree matters
For the entire known male line descent of the O'Donovan septs of Carbery derivation into the time of Elizabeth see Crom Ua DonnubáinCrom Ua Donnubáin
An Crom Ua Donnubáin or Crom O'Donovan is the dynast recognized in all sources as the ancestor of all O'Donovans later found in Carbery in County Cork, and later still in distant County Wexford in Leinster. Nothing is known for sure of his life but his progeny, and the circumstances of his slaying...
. Unfortunately this is not very extensive. For the synthesized pedigrees themselves, see O'Donovan, O'Hart, Cronnelly, and also Todd, all in the list of references below. Each used the late medieval and early modern originals available to them. Burke is useful for the later lines.
The Norse
The O'Donovans, or some of them, are periodically accused of in some manner either being a sept of the Uí ÍmairUí Ímair
The Uí Ímair , or Dynasty of Ivar, were an enormous royal and imperial Norse dynasty who ruled Northern England, the Irish Sea region and Kingdom of Dublin, and the western coast of Scotland, including the Hebrides, from the mid 9th century, losing control of the first in the mid 10th, but the rest...
(House of Ivar) themselves or at least incorporating one. A variant even appeared in the Encyclopedia Britannica for a few decades, namely that some O'Donovans are actually male line descendants of the son of Ivar of Waterford
Ivar of Waterford
Ivar of Waterford was the Norse king of Waterford from at least 969 until his death in the year 1000, and also reigned as King of Dublin, possibly from 989 to 993, and certainly again for less than a year between 994 and 995, returning after his expulsion from the city in 993 by Sigtrygg...
mentioned above, so this has been no small rumour. But there is no secret, because although agreed upon by scholars to have been quite prominent during the second half of the 10th century and first two centuries of the second millennium, the family are poorly documented during this period, that is outside the major epic political tracts Cogad Gáedel re Gallaib and Caithréim Chellacháin Chaisil
Caithréim Chellacháin Chaisil
Caithréim Chellacháin ChaisilDonnchadh Ó Corráin writes that this title "was first given it by Eugene O'Curry in his transcript of the text. It has no title in the earliest copy, that in the Book of Lismore...
, because the sources as they have come down to us are very fragmentary. The annals are full of gaps, and like the Uí Ímair themselves the O'Donovans were not the best record keepers and had no control over the writing of their history, which was influenced by usually hostile families. So the answer is no one knows. The Norse dynasty repeatedly used six names throughout their history and of these the O'Donovans were fond of no less than three, namely Ragnall, Amlaíb, and Ímar itself (the remaining three, Sitric, Gofraid, and Aralt, are unattested). Two of these even became sept names which were still known as late as the 17th century. The historical Sliocht Íomhair, who were undoubtedly considered O'Donovans, cannot even be attached to the main line with complete confidence. Furthermore Ragnall, the very favourite, and once as common or more in the family as any Gaelic name, was also the favourite name of the royal family of Waterford. So intermarriage is a 100% certainty even if the sources are few. The Scoto-Irish Clann Somhairle
Clann Somhairle
Clann Somhairle refers to those Scottish and Irish dynasties descending from the famous Norse-Gaelic leader Somerled, King of Mann and the Isles. Primarily they are the Clan Donald, formerly known as the Lord of the Isles, and the mainland Clan MacDougall, and all their numerous branches...
, today represented mainly by the Clan Donald
Clan Donald
Clan Donald is one of the largest Scottish clans. There are numerous branches to the clan. Several of these have chiefs recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms; these are: Clan Macdonald of Sleat, Clan Macdonald of Clanranald, Clan MacDonell of Glengarry, Clan MacDonald of Keppoch, and Clan...
, are also widely regarded to be at least maternal descendants of the Uí Ímair, even their successors in the Isles. They are fond to this day of two out of six, namely Ragnall and Gofraid.
The Normans
A neglected connection with another family must be mentioned. One or two important tales may be suggestive of association with one or another of the southern septs of the great De Burgh dynasty, beginning in the second half of the 13th or first half of the 14th century. Their ancestor William de BurghWilliam de Burgh
William de Burgh, founder of the de Burgh/Burke/Bourke family of Ireland, d. 1206.-In Ireland:He arrived in Ireland in 1185 and was closely associated with Prince John....
was of course the leader of the expedition resulting in the death of Amlaíb in 1201, but the Burkes soon enough became very Gaelicized
Gaelicization
Gaelicization or Gaelicisation is the act or process of making something Gaelic, or gaining characteristics of the Gaels. The Gaels are an ethno-linguistic group who are traditionally viewed as having spread from Ireland to Scotland and the Isle of Man."Gaelic" as a linguistic term, refers to the...
and integrated into Irish society, sprouting numerous septs throughout the provinces. Some members of one of these from County Limerick may actually have settled in O'Donovan territory, on lands granted them within his own by Ímar Ua Donnubáin, according to a legend recorded by Edith Anna Somerville
Edith Anna Somerville
Edith Anna Œnone Somerville was an Irish novelist who habitually signed herself as "E. Œ. Somerville". She wrote in collaboration with her cousin "Martin Ross" under the pseudonym "Somerville and Ross"...
.
Territory in Carbery
Between them Clancahill and Clan Loughlin controlled the entire harbour of GlandoreGlandore
Glandore |Cork]] city.The village has several pubs, with traditional music. It is a very popular holiday destination for Irish holiday makers in particular. Famous homeowners include Margaret Jay, former leader of the House of Lords, and Tony O'Reilly. The village yacht club's official headquarters...
, the former on the west side and the latter on the east, although before the 1560s the Clancahill portion appears to have been controlled by the Sliocht Íomhair. Clan Loughlin were seated at Cloghatradbally, now called Glandore Castle, a 13th century Norman castle built by the Barretts, from whom they took it. This is the sacred harbour of Clíodhna
Cliodhna
Clíodhna is a Queen of the Banshees of the Tuatha Dé Danann. In Irish literature, Cleena of Carrigcleena is the potent banshee that rules as queen over the sheoques of South Munster, or Desmond. She is the principal goddess of this country...
.
Clancahill came to control half of Castlehaven
Castlehaven
Castlehaven is a civil parish in County Cork, Ireland. It is located some 75 km south west of Cork City on the coast and is made up of two key towns: Union Hall and Castletownshend....
harbour as well, the ancient O'Driscolls of Corcu Loígde
Corcu Loígde
The Corcu Loígde , meaning Gens of the Calf Goddess, also called the Síl Lugdach meic Itha, were a kingdom centered in West County Cork who descended from the proto-historical rulers of Munster, the Dáirine, of whom they were the principal royal sept...
in control of the other. From the ocean the territory of the O'Donovans then stretched north and northwest into the area of Drimoleague
Drimoleague
Drimoleague is a village on the R586 regional road at its junction with the R593 in County Cork, Ireland. It lies roughly halfway between the towns of Dunmanway and Bantry...
, with the well known Castle Donovan
Castle Donovan
Castle Donovan or Castledonovan or ODonovan's Castle refer to the remains of an Irish tower house or túrtheach, in a valley near Drimoleague, of medium size which was the so-called "seat" of the Clann Cathail sept of the O'Donovans for a period during the 16th century...
found in a valley not far from that village. This, up in the mountains, in a remote area, was the principal seat of the Clancahill main line until the early 17th century.
At what was probably their height in Carbery, between the late 16th century and their partial dispossession following the so-called Irish rebellion of 1641
Irish Rebellion of 1641
The Irish Rebellion of 1641 began as an attempted coup d'état by Irish Catholic gentry, who tried to seize control of the English administration in Ireland to force concessions for the Catholics living under English rule...
and the Irish Confederate Wars
Irish Confederate Wars
This article is concerned with the military history of Ireland from 1641-53. For the political context of this conflict, see Confederate Ireland....
in the mid 17th, the O'Donovans were in control of approximately 100,000 acres right in the center of the principality, with territories both in West and East Carbery. Of this, however, only around 15,000 acres were usable as farmland. In the remaining they were still owed rents and had the rights to hold court(s), fairs, and so on. From the several harbours and bays they controlled actually came their chief income, which was the case for lords all along the South Munster coast. Following the Cromwellian confiscations, the infamously ungrateful Charles II of England
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
, after first giving his deceitful word he would restore them entirely, granted the vast majority to soldiers of Cromwell's army in lieu of pay. The O'Donovans would regain possession of less than one twentieth their former territories, a few thousand acres... although this was better than many Gaelic families did. The great MacCarthys Reagh lost virtually everything, receiving not enough back to even live on respectably, a few hundred acres out of the approaching 600 square miles (1,554 km²) they once controlled at their height (this included the O'Donovan territories, which were at one time probably much less than 100,000 acres), so they eventually left.
Clanlouglin lost their estates twice, first the majority of the fairly immense Manor of Glandore in the 1650s to Cromwell and his soldiers, and then the Manor of the Leap, a descendant of the remains of the former, in 1737, when one of their dynasts, Jeremiah II O'Donovan, sold it without consulting his family.
All of the known lands of the Clan Aineislis were confiscated and given away by Cromwell, after which the sept fall into obscurity.
In 1878 various branches of the O'Donovan family were reported successful (landed) and in possession of 17,213 acres of estates in several counties in southern Ireland, not counting estates and homesteads of less than 500 acres, and the loss of the Manor of Bawnlahan in 1829, which added would have substantially increased the total. By this time some had established themselves in England as well and were prospering, not to mention around the world.
DNA
To date, fairly few O'Donovans have been tested, but it is expected that in the future the relationships between the various alleged Eóganachta septs will be better understood. It may or may not be possible to separate the Eóganachta from the more ancient Érainn. There appears to be a South Irish R1b cluster which is clearly distinct from the Irish Type III of the Dál gCais to the immediate north, but this is all that is clear so far.John O'Donovan
One of Ireland's most celebrated historians was John O'DonovanJohn O'Donovan (scholar)
John O'Donovan , from Atateemore, in the parish of Kilcolumb, County Kilkenny, and educated at Hunt's Academy, Waterford, was an Irish language scholar from Ireland.-Life:...
, who claimed descent from a supposed son, Edmond, of Donal II O'Donovan
Donal II O'Donovan
Donal II O'Donovan , The O'Donovan of Clann Cathail, Lord of Clancahill , was the son of Ellen O'Leary, daughter of O'Leary of Carrignacurra, and Donal of the Skins, The O'Donovan of Clann Cathail....
. He published an Irish Grammar and translated and edited the first complete edition of the Annals of the Four Masters
Annals of the Four Masters
The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland or the Annals of the Four Masters are a chronicle of medieval Irish history...
, and is often regarded as the greatest Irish scholar of the 19th century. The enormous amount of knowledge collected by John O'Donovan in the Irish countryside is still frequently relied upon for research, for example the recent title on Royal Inauguration in Gaelic Ireland by Elizabeth FitzPatrick.
A son of John O'Donovan was the war-correspondent Edmund O'Donovan
Edmund O'Donovan
Edmund O'Donovan , Irish war-correspondent, was born at Dublin on the 13th of September 1844, the son of John O'Donovan , a well-known Irish archaeologist and topographer...
, famous for his journey to Merv
Merv
Merv , formerly Achaemenid Satrapy of Margiana, and later Alexandria and Antiochia in Margiana , was a major oasis-city in Central Asia, on the historical Silk Road, located near today's Mary in Turkmenistan. Several cities have existed on this site, which is significant for the interchange of...
.
William Joseph Donovan
According to relatives, the great William Joseph DonovanWilliam Joseph Donovan
William Joseph Donovan was a United States soldier, lawyer and intelligence officer, best remembered as the wartime head of the Office of Strategic Services...
, whose grandfather Timothy O'Donovan was from Skibbereen, had traced his ancestry back to medieval times. But whatever genealogy there might have been is now lost, if so, and his sept may or may not ever be known. Wild Bill Donovan was the most decorated American soldier of World War I, and later headed the Office of Strategic Services
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
(OSS) in World War II. He is known as the "Father of American Intelligence" and the "Father of Central Intelligence."
William Joseph Donovan was a Knight of Malta and Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Sylvester
Order of St. Sylvester
The Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Sylvester Pope and Martyr , sometimes referred to as the Sylvestrine Order, or the Pontifical Order of Pope St Sylvester, is one of five Orders of Knighthood awarded directly by the Pope as Supreme Pontiff and head of the Catholic Church and as the Head of...
, the only American ever to be made the second.
O'Donovan Rossa
Jeremiah O'Donovan RossaJeremiah O'Donovan Rossa
Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa , was an Irish Fenian leader and prominent member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood. His life as an Irish Fenian is well documented but he is perhaps known best in death for the graveside oration given at his funeral by Pádraig Pearse.-Life in Ireland:He was born at...
, the prominent Fenian leader and writer, was most likely a descendant of the Clan Aineislis or MacEnesles O'Donovans, as discovered by himself and John O'Donovan. His descendants still live in both Rosscarbery
Rosscarbery
Rosscarbery or Roscarbery is a town in County Cork, Ireland. The town is on a shallow estuary, which opens onto Rosscarbery Bay.-History:...
and Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
See also
- Chiefs of the NameChiefs of the NameThe Chief of the Name, or in older English usage Captain of his Nation, is the recognised head of a family or clan...
- Irish nobilityIrish nobilityThis article concerns the Gaelic nobility of Ireland from ancient to modern times. It only partly overlaps with Chiefs of the Name because it excludes Scotland and other discussion...
- ClonakiltyClonakiltyClonakilty , often referred to by locals simply as Clon, is a small town on the N71 national secondary road in West County Cork, Ireland, approximately 45 minutes away by road to the west of Cork City. The town is on the southern coast of the island, and is surrounded by hilly country devoted...
- Donovan (disambiguation)Donovan (disambiguation)Donovan is a popular Scottish singer, songwriter, and guitarist.Donovan may also refer to:- Places :* Castle Donovan, a ruined castle 12 kilometers east of Bantry, County Cork, Ireland* General Donovan Department, Argentina...
- Donovan (name)Donovan (name)Donovan may be both a surname and a given name.Some people with surname include:*Art Donovan, NFL Hall of Famer*Bill Donovan , a pitcher and manager in Major League Baseball...
- Randall (given name)Randall (given name)Randall, , is a masculine given name in the English language. Its modern use as a given name originates from the transferred use of the English–language surname Randall. There are two explanations for the derivation of this surname...
, a once popular name of historical interest in the family, deriving from RaghnallRagnall, Raghnall, and Raonull (names)Ragnall, Raghnall, Raonall, and Raonull are masculine personal names or given names in several Gaelic languages....
External links
- The Territory of Thomond discusses the size of the territory of the Kingdom of Uí Fidgenti and the O'Donovans
- Tuadmumu has maps and convenient Uí Fidgenti-related genealogies
- Tribes & Territories of Mumhan
- Tracys of the Eóganachta features a very detailed genealogy of the Uí Fidgenti, compiled and translated from numerous primary and secondary sources
- Ireland circa 1100 A.D. shows the location of the Ua Donnabháin and Uí Chairpre kindred before the time of the Norman Invasion