Donal III O'Donovan facts for kids

Donal III O'Donovan (also known as Domhnall Ó Donnabháin in Irish), was a powerful leader of the O'Donovan family. He was born before 1584. His parents were Helena de Barry and Donal II O'Donovan. Donal III became the chief of his family, known as The O'Donovan of Clancahill, in 1639.

His family grew very strong during his father's time. They became one of the most important Gaelic families in South Munster, a region in Ireland. Donal II had also gained a lot of land, especially after a big conflict called the Nine Years' War. Donal III inherited a huge amount of land, possibly around 100,000 acres! This was a massive amount for a Gaelic family back then. Donal III was likely in his late 50s or early 60s when he became chief. He passed away in 1660, at over 80 years old.

The Dragon of Clíodhna

A famous Scottish poet named Maol Domhnaigh Ó Muirgheasáin wrote a poem about Donal III in 1639. This poem celebrated Donal becoming the chief. In it, the poet called Donal III the Dragon of Clíodhna. Clíodhna is a fairy queen in Irish legends. This special name showed how powerful and respected Donal was.

Donal's Actions and Role

Donal O'Donovan and some of his relatives joined a major uprising in Ireland in 1641. This group was led by Donagh MacCarthy. They also included the MacCarthy Reagh and the O'Sullivan Beare families. Together, they surrounded Cork city for three weeks in 1642. They had over four thousand men! However, a government-supported leader named Murrough O'Brien defeated their forces.

Later, during the Irish Confederate Wars, Donal III helped his neighbor, James Tuchet. James lived very close by. Donal helped him capture several forts and castles in County Cork. These included places like Mallow, Doneraile, and the castles of Milton, Connagh, and Rostellan.

Donal O'Donovan also created two groups of soldiers. His younger brothers, Morrogh and Rickard, led these groups. They fought to support King Charles II. Morrogh became a Captain and fought in a big battle called the Battle of Rathmines. Sadly, he and his entire group were killed there. Rickard was also a Captain. He went to fight overseas and was also killed while serving the King.

Because of Donal's actions, his lands were attacked by the forces of Oliver Cromwell in the late 1640s. Cromwell's soldiers destroyed two of Donal's castles using gunpowder. This was a very difficult time for Donal and his family.

Donal's Lands

In 1652, Cromwell took away all of Donal III's lands. Later, only a very small part of his vast inheritance was given back to his son, Donal IV. This was about three thousand acres out of tens of thousands. King Charles II had first said that all the lands should be returned. But he then gave most of them to Cromwell's soldiers instead of paying them. Donal O'Donovan was not a high-ranking noble, so he had less political power at that time.

Before his lands were taken, Donal's income from his estates was very high. He also earned money from the harbors and bays he controlled. This money was mostly used to run the local government and keep the region safe. It was expensive to maintain soldiers, especially because pirates often attacked the coast. A real example of this danger was the Sack of Baltimore in 1631, where pirates attacked a nearby town.

Family Life

Before 1639, Donal III married Gyles (also known as Sheela) O'Shaughnessy. She was at least twenty years younger than him. Her parents were Elis Lynch and Sir Roger Gilla Duff O'Shaughnessy.

Donal and Gyles had several children:

• Donal IV O'Donovan
• Cornelius
• Morogh
• Richard

It is also thought that they had a daughter named Mary. She married Florence MacCarthy, who was the younger son of a famous leader, Prince Florence MacCarthy. Mary and Florence had children, and their family line continues to this day.

The last O'Donovan chief from Donal III's direct family line was Richard II O'Donovan, who passed away in 1829. After him, the leadership of the family went to a different branch, the descendants of Donal III's younger brother, Teige.

Stories and Reputation

Among the early modern leaders of Clancahill, Donal III has a sad reputation because of one story. This story tells of an alleged act of great harshness and cruelty. It is still talked about in the countryside today. The story is about the hanging of Dorothy Forde.

In the most common version of the story, Dorothy had lent money to Donal. When she asked for it back, he supposedly hanged her from the tower of Castle Donovan to avoid paying. This was said to have been done with the help of his brother-in-law. Dorothy's family, who were Protestants, supposedly cursed Donal and his direct family line. The legend says that a "corroding drop" (braon sinsir), said to be her tears, dripped from the castle until Donal's direct family line ended in 1829. Some people say the drip continues even now. This story has grown over time, with some versions saying Donal invited Dorothy to the castle before capturing her.

However, some experts, like Diarmuid Ó Murchadha, believe this story is not true. They point out that several respected Protestant men were present when Donal died in 1660. They wrote a statement praising Donal's good character and how well he treated them during conflicts. This statement did not mention Dorothy Forde or her family. Still, other records from the time do mention Donal's involvement in a hanging, but it was over a claim for barley, not a debt, and she was hanged from a tree, not a castle.

Donal III also appears in an old short story called "Emma Cavendish." In this story, he is shown as a kind host to an English traveler. Donal is described as a decent man who cared about the English people living in his lands and made sure they were safe. However, in the story, Donal's nephew becomes a villain and is eventually killed by the main character.

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