Lieutenant General Richard O’Donovan of the Enniskillen Dragoons (c1764-1829), Chieftain of the O’Donovans, Bawnlahan, West Cork.

Extract 1841 from letter to Dr. John O’Donovan from Timothy O’Donovan, Esq., J.P, O’Donovan’s Cove, Durrus re Chieftainship of family:

The late General Richard O’Donovan, Lieutenant Colonel of the Enniskillen Dragoons, was undoubtedly the Chieftain of the Clann or Sept of O’Donovan. He died at the family seat of Bawnlahan Barony of Carbery, County of Cork about 11 or 12 years ago. He was married to a Welch lady her name was Powell by whom he had no issue, he left his estate to his wife and upon her death which happened soon after she bequeathed it to her brother a Major Powell a Welch man in whom possession it is at the moment and this ancient seat and property is now in the possession of a Welsh man.

The title of “O’Donovan” was after the General’s death affected by a Protestant Clergyman, Morgan O’Donovan, but the claim was not recognised by the family.

Becher Estate:

http://landedestates.nuigalway.ie:8080/LandedEstates/jsp/estate-show.jsp?id=2436

Survey 15th March 1727, of O’Donovan Estates, Bawnlahan including townlands of Coolagow, Bawnlahan and Cuppogh, West Cork.

The ‘Caoin’ lamentation akin to Hebrew Cina in Cork and Kerry from Crofton Croker including for Sir Richard Cox in 1733 mentioning his relations O’Donovans of Bawnlahan, Townsends of White Court Skibbreen, Dunmanway and O’Donoghue, Aughadown, West Cork.

Some O’Donovan, Bawnlahan, West Cork, deeds, conveyances, settlements, leases mortgages including to Samuel Jervois, Brade, from 1619

Survey and Map by Robert J Wolfe December 1835, of Estate of Major Edward Powell (Estate of the Late Lieutenant Colonel Richard O’Donovan of the enniskillen Dragoons by his marriage with Miss Powell of Wales) at Drinagh, West Cork showing Major Tenants, Keelnacolly, Corrigfadda, Corrigagrinane, Kippagh, Knockmore, Corriglas Pike mentioned.

http://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=Richard%20II%20O%27Donovan&item_id=737051

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.

Gaining the rank of General in the service of the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons, O’Donovan fought in the Napoleonic Wars, in the Flanders Campaign and in Spain. He became an intimate acquaintance of the English Prince Regent, and saved the life of the Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany during the retreat of the English Army from Holland.

O’Donovan held the Chiefship of Clancahill in 1778. He married a Welsh lady, Emma Anne Powell, daughter of Robert Powell, but they were without issue. Richard O’Donovan then overturned his father’s will and left his entire estates, including the Manor of Bawnlahan, to her family, to the immense displeasure of his own, it being the very last of the O’Donovan family’s by that time 600-year-old estates in Carbery still in existence. He died in 1829, but to this day is remembered with anger. The Chiefship of Clancahill then passed to the cadet line, descendants of Teige, younger brother of Donal III O’Donovan.

Technically the Manor of Bawnlahan was erected in the later 17th century by Donal IV, but it was a descendant of the earlier Manor of Rahine erected by Donal II, on lands conquered by his father Donal of the Skins from a rival sept, the O’Donovans of Sliocht Íomhair. Thus they had been in the possession of the greater family since the 13th century.

Notes
References
Burke, Bernard and Hugh Montgomery-Massingberd, Burke’s Irish Family Records. London: Burke’s Peerage Ltd. 5th edition, 1976.
Burke, Bernard and Ashworth Peter Burke, A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Ireland. London: Harrison & Sons. 9th edition, 1899. pp. 341–2
Sir Richard Cox, 1st Baronet, Carberiae Notitia. 1686. extracts published in Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, Volume XII, Second Series. 1906. pp. 142–9
O’Donovan, John (ed. & tr.), Annala Rioghachta Eireann. Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters, from the Earliest Period to 1616. 7 vols. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. 1848-51. 2nd edition, 1856. Volume VI, pp. 2459–60
O’Hart, John, Irish Pedigrees. Dublin: James Duffy and Co. 5th edition, 1892. p. 201

https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Kilcrohane,+Co.+Cork/@51.580608,-9.7043771,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x484582d45a68d7bf:0x0a00c7a99731a160

Kilcrohane Church, Muintervara, Inscriptions and Stained Glass to Members of McCarthy, O’Mahony, Tobin, O’Donovan and Murphy Families

Building of Star of the Sea Church, Kilcrohane, West Cork, 1897, for £1,750, Builder Patrick Sullivan of Seskin, Bantry, Architect, Samuel F Hynes FRIBA, 41, South Mall, Cork, the Contractor was Father Kearney who is to supply local stone, gravel and sand and carriage from Durrus Road station or the landing Place, Dunmanus Bay.

Samuel Hynes, Architect, (1854-1931), among his Commissions, Convent of Mercy Chapel and Munster and Leinster Bank, Bantry, Kilnamartyra School. Star of the Sea Church, Kilcrohane, West Cork, Presentation Convent, Melbourne, Australia.

Rev. Alleyn Evanson, December 1829, Curate Schull, States 1,200 Protestants in His Parish and New Court Houses for Cork City and County About to Be Erected.

This was probably only a brief period for him to Minister. Most of his tie was as an unbeneficed clergyman managing his Estates in Durrus and Kilcrohane and acting as a Magistrate from Durrus Court, Gearhameen.

The Courthouses are presumably the ones which burnt down and were replaced by the present Courthouses in Washington Street, Cork.

O’Daly Bardic School:

https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Dromnea,+Co.+Cork/@51.5847637,-9.6764086,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x48459d1f5958ced3:0x2600c7a819bb5172

Memorial to The O’Dalys of Muintiravara, For Many Centuries Prior to 1600 Sub-Chiefs to the McCarthy Mór and The Desmonds, Active in The Munster Wars For Religious And National Freedom. They Suffered Confiscation, Exile and Local Extinction.

Francis Jobson’s Map of West Cork, 1589 including Cape Clear (Iniskyran), Baltimore, O’Driscolls, Rosbrin, Crookhaven, Bantry, Muintervara land of Rymers (O’Daly’s Bardic School), O’Sullivan Bere, Priest’s Leap.

O’Daly Bardic School 13th to 17th century, Dromnea, Kilcrohane West Cork, pupils including two sons of the King of Spain, descendants founding Daly’s Distillery, Cork.

Dr. John O’Donovan, The O’Daly Family (Bards Muintervara) 1852, Extract

https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Skibbereen,+Co.+Cork/@51.5559239,-9.2621303,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x4845a5b8ee671cad:0x28dab316351c3ffb

Request by Thirty Four Named Householders, with A Valuation of at Least £20, for the Commencement of Lighting and Cleaning of Skibbereen, West Cork, 1828

https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Gortnagrough,+Co.+Cork/@51.5943296,-9.4603759,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x4845a1cc4b46bbdd:0x3f23013d1fd67148

Names and Addresses of Cess payers of Co Cork Baronies of Bantry and Carbery (East and West Division) c 1830.

Notification, July 1828, by William Swanton, High Constable, Gortnagrough, Ballydehob, West Cork to Parties Aggrieved by Posting of Cess Levies at Church Doors West Carbery, West Division to Appear in Carrigboy (Durrus) Courthouse

Cess Payers Nominated by Cork Grand Jury to Sit with Magistrates at Road Sessions 1860s for Baronies of Bere and Bantry and West Carbery, West.

1834, Listing of Those Affected by Changes in Tithe Legislation including Nathaniel Evansons,for Durrus. Kilcrohane, Bantry and Rev. Coughlan for Glengariff.

The Tithes in 1833: ‘The year’s tithe due to Mr. Alcock, the Rector Durrus, was nearly collected in one day. The summary collection was effected by the police who act as drivers. In the case referred to the determination to to obtain ‘Tithe Distress’ was so great that I have been informed that the house where the parish priest the Revered Quin was saying Mass was forcibly entered and a bed the only item of value would have been taken but for the suggestion of some Protestant who objected to that mode of insult to a Clergyman.

Forcible collection of Tithes, Durrus, West Cork, 1820s

The Progression of the Parish Priests of Durrus, West Cork. from having the Tithe Proctors of the Rev. Alcock attempt to seize the bed of Father Quinn in the 1820 to Father Michael Daly 1875 Living in former Landlord Evanson House at Friendly Cove, and Father Bowen living at former Evanson Landlord House Ardgoena and Various Clergy living in another Evanson House, Durrus Court in the early 20th Century and some 19th and early 20th century Priests, including Father Bernane, Kearney..

Sale in 1729 of lands by Lord Burlington, Jeremh/Jeremiah Coughlan (From Carrigmanus Agent) to Richard Tonson for £3,882, including, One Ploughland Town and Lands of Shannyvoghwora Ballydehob, 422 English acres, 3 Ploughlands Carrigerinat Coghanicue Coghlianullean East Carbery 1, 697 English acres, Coolmountain 1,139 English acres, 4 Gneeves Shanaciane, the Unpropriate Tithes of 14 Ploughlands of Durrus , Kilcrohane and Kikmocomoge (Bantry), Callesita alias Callesta 374 English acres, Carrigneal 1 and a half Ploughland 894 English acres and 1830s Tithe Aplottments of Tithes for Evansons of Durrus