O'Donovan Family - Later History

Later History

Following an active 13th century, and after their move south the O'Donovans of Ui Chairbre fall into relative obscurity for approximately two centuries, primarily because the records for Munster during this period are few. Fragmenting into several smaller-sized lordships, they were still subordinate to their overlord, MacCarthy Reagh, who was at odds with the MacCarthy Mor, who was at odds with the MacCarthys of Muscrery, who were at odds with both the Norman settlers (Barrys) and the old Irish (O'Callahan, O'Keefe), and with Gaelicized English (Fitzgeralds- Earls of Desmonds, FitzGibbons - Earls of Kildare and the White Knight), all of whom were or were not, depending on changing politics, at odds with the English monarchs.

O'Donovans reappeared in various annals and records about 1500 . Domhnall Ó Donnabháin was Bishop of Ross in the mid-late 15th century, while the first O'Donovan to be mentioned by name in the 16th century, 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 sept with whom the O'Donovans of Ui Chairbre had the best relations after the MacCarthy Reaghs, which continued to be the case after this incident.

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.