The O'Donovans trace their ancestry from Donnubán mac Cathail, Lord of Uí Fidgenti, a tenth-century ruler of the Irish regional kingdom of Uí Fidgenti, who had married the daughter of his norse ally, Ivar of Limerick of the Uí Ímair.
The O'Donovans carried Danish names for the next three centuries.
 Donndubhán was a major figure and opponent of Mathgamain mac Cennétig and his brother Brian Bóruma in the Cogad Gáedel re Gallaib.
He was in part responsible for the death of Mathgamain, and killed Donnubán and his brother-in-law Aralt mac Ímair, newly elected King of the Foreigners of Munster, around the year 978 in the Battle of Cathair Cuan.
However, Donnubán's son Cathal mac Donnubáin would later be one of the Munster kings supporting Brian in the Battle of Clontarf in 1014.

By 1300, most of the O'Donovans had vacated the geographical territory held for the previous thousand years.
 Most of the Ui Chairpre who moved to the Carbery area merged with Donovans of the Corca Laidghe.
Of the family remaining in County Limerick after the 13th century few records are preserved.
Clearly, however, there were O'Donovans in the Limerick and Tipperary areas during the period 1400-1575, and the senior descendant of the last chief of the Ui Donabhains of Fidgheinte sat in the 1689 Parliament along with an O'Donovan from both Clan Cathail and Clan Lochlan.
The O'Donovans trace their ancestry from Donnubán mac Cathail, Lord of Uí Fidgenti, a tenth-century ruler of the Irish regional kingdom of Uí Fidgenti, who had married the daughter of his norse ally, Ivar of Limerick of the Uí Ímair. The O'Donovans carried Danish names for the next three centuries.  Donndubhán was a major figure and opponent of Mathgamain mac Cennétig and his brother Brian Bóruma in the Cogad Gáedel re Gallaib. He was in part responsible for the death of Mathgamain, and killed Donnubán and his brother-in-law Aralt mac Ímair, newly elected King of the Foreigners of Munster, around the year 978 in the Battle of Cathair Cuan. However, Donnubán's son Cathal mac Donnubáin would later be one of the Munster kings supporting Brian in the Battle of Clontarf in 1014.
By 1300, most of the O'Donovans had vacated the geographical territory held for the previous thousand years.  Most of the Ui Chairpre who moved to the Carbery area merged with Donovans of the Corca Laidghe. Of the family remaining in County Limerick after the 13th century few records are preserved. Clearly, however, there were O'Donovans in the Limerick and Tipperary areas during the period 1400-1575, and the senior descendant of the last chief of the Ui Donabhains of Fidgheinte sat in the 1689 Parliament along with an O'Donovan from both Clan Cathail and Clan Lochlan.
O'Donovan family