Dr. John O’Donovan Ireland’s Great Scholar. View 1850s of The O’Donovan (1812-1890). A Good Friend, He Seemed To Me A Kind and Good Man and Really an Irishman of Spirit.

After the death of Lieutenant General Donovan of Bawnlahan, Leap the Chieftainship passed to the Montpelier (Douglas) Cork branch. They too were Protestant very wealthy by way of prudent marriages in the 18th and 19th century into the Cork Mercantiler Community.

When the General died his estate passed to his wife’s nephew Colonel Powell who was from Wales. By all accounts a reasonable landlord but no feeling for him locally as he was not of ancient stock.

The subsequent O’Donovan were in fact very popular and very engaged locally and even after~`independence when they decamped to England were active in promoting agricultural development locally.

In the John O’Donovan papers and also in O’Donona Rossa’s recollections there were superior genealogical claims to be Chieftain of the O’Donovan including the gateman in Skibbereen Workhouse who wanted no mention of this lest he lose his job. Others mentioned were a ploughman in Myross and a cobbler in Waterford.

In John O’Donovn reference to a young gentleman on the Inner Temple London he may be from the Wexford O’Donovans on his mother’s side, later a senior figure in Dublin Castle . John O’Donovan said the Wexford O’Donovan originated in Carbery but wer ‘Rabid Orangemen”

Re John Collins, The Silver Tongue of Carbery a wonderful poet but many doubted the facts in his genealogical tracts.

O’Donovan from Cois Life

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1i81sLnwDt9WZjFM4-3eRYbKjmlOTarVyedlSHM6P2bM/edit

The O’Donovan’s son:

Colonel Morgan William ‘The O’Donovan’ Oxon (1861-1940), CB, D.L., MA, 1888, ‘The O’Donovan’, Clann Cathal, Lis Árd, Skibbereen, son of Henry Wintrop ‘The O’Donovan’ MA, DL. and Amelia d ‘The O’Grady’, Courcy O’Grady, Kilballyowen, Co. Limerick. Ed. Haileybury and Oxford, Lieutenant-Colonel Munster Fusiliers, Colonel South Cork Militia Boer War, Succeeded Colonel Aylmer C. Somerville 1899 as President Carbery Agricultural Society. Presented organ to Creagh Church to commemorate the Jubilee of Queen Victoria. 1892 High Sheriff, Co.Cork ill, spent the summer on the Continent recovering. 1893 Member Cork Historical and Archaeological Society. Member Royal Society of Antiquaries 1889. Sent a carriage to the funeral of Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Somerville D.L. (1824-1898), Clontaff, Drishane. Signed Requisition 1905. Cork Junction Railway Bill. Requisition to the Right Honourable The Earl of Bandon K.P., to Call a meeting for the purpose of Approving the Cork Junctions Railway Bill. Addressing a recruitment meeting in Drimoleague In July 1915 he referred to this ancient stronghold (Castle Donovan) of his family. After they displaced the O’Driscolls they became the Chief People of the Carberies. Listed family members as giving a present to 1907 Spaight wedding Union Hall. Considered the preservation of ancient documents a matter of importance. M Mary Eleanor, (Madame) odo Rev. J Yarker Barton, Chaplain to British Forces, she chaired the Women’s Emergency Recruiting Committee WW1, Skibbereen, listed 1921. Attending 10 Grand Jury presentments. 1933 writing to Carbery Agricultural Society suggesting horticultural potential in West Cork.

Overview of John O’Donovan from Kilkenny:

Click to access OKR1962-05-T-J-Clohosey-John-O-Donovan.pdf