At the time he was outlawed, he was characterised as a gentleman, of Benlahane, an archaic spelling of Bawnlahan, then the family seat.
[4] O'Donovan served during the Siege of Cork, as Deputy Governor of the 1200 strong garrison of Charles Fort, Kinsale under Sir Edward Scott.
[5] Although it is likely that Donal IV was Catholic, as he was a member of the House of Commons of the James II Parliament in 1689 and subsequently outlawed, neither of his wives was Gaelic.
From his tenure his branch made a massive shift to anglicize and conform, inevitably ruining their reputation (which was already low due to his grandfather's surrender and re-grant of clan lands) but which facilitated their retention of property during the Penal Laws.
He was first married to Victoria Copinger (Coppinger), daughter of Captain Walter Copinger of Cloghan, by whom he had a daughter, Helena, who married her 2nd cousin Conn (Cornelius) O'Donovan of Montpellier, ancestor of the present O'Donovan, Lord of Clancahill.