The Ó Donnabháin were rulers of the Ui Cairbre Aedhbha of County Limerick. Due to Anglo-Norman pressures, they were driven down into southwest Cork in the 12 century.

The Ó Donnamháin were residents of the ancient Corca Laidhe territory (West Cork). The Ui Carbre intermingled with the Corca Laidhe residents and their different names became a single form Donovan.

The O'Donovans were second in power and influence in west Cork after the McCarthys. Chieftain Donal II visited the O'Neill recruitment camp in Iniscarra during the Tyrone Rebellion, and, along with the Castlehaven O'Driscolls, welcomed the help of the Spaniards there in the harbor. Faced with defeat along with Fineen O'Driscoll and other Irish chieftains, he turned against former ally O'Sullivan Beare. A battle between the two was fought between Upper and Lower Lissane at the Caheragh-Drimoleague parish border around the end of that conflict.

Some of the Donovans around Drimoleague got caught up in an 18th century feud that involved the destruction of the village of Gurteeniher. Those involved were anxious to make themselves invisible to authorities and so they scattered. Some went to Durrus and called themselves O'Donovan Bán. Some changed their name to Burke and settled near Revouler. Some called themselves Dillon and lived around Rosscarbery.

The Ui Cairbre Donovans who settled in west Cork had close relationships with Collinses, their kinsmen who came down with them from Limerick. They also held close relationships with the Connollys.

The O'Donovan, the chieftain line, survives to this day.

The Donovans used dozens of secondary names around West Cork. A few of them include Ban or Bawn; Blackstaff; Buee or Bwee; Counisig; Daill; Dearg, Dairig or dairy; Deriheen; Feen, Feehane or Fehane; Greany; Island; Killinagh; Liath; Meirgeach; Reagh; Roe, Ruadh or Rue; Reenka, Rinky or Rinhy; Scairte and Scartha.

In old records, Feen can resemble the name Finn which could be Donovan or some other family.

Meal/Mihil in parts around Clonakilty could be an agnomen for Donovan. Maol (bald) is a known secondary name.

Cahill could be a major branch name.

Nyhan, Daniel. Historic Drimoleague. JCHAS, vol. 36, no. 143, p. 39. 1931.

The graphic on the right shows a piece of an 1887 Rosscarbery marriage record. The names of the fathers of the marital parties show the use of secondary names.

The graphic below shows a Donovan Reigh living next to a Donovan Scartha in Bawnfune, recorded in the Kilmacabea TAB, 1829.

Maol