Military, intelligence

• Dan "Sandow" O'Donovan (1890–1975), Irish Republican Army figure
• Donal II O'Donovan (died 1639), the O'Donovan of Clann Cathail, Lord of Clancahill
• Donal III O'Donovan (died 1660), Irish Confederate Wars
• Donal IV O'Donovan (died 1705), Williamite War in Ireland
• Jeremiah O'Donovan (died 1709), O'Donovan of Clanloughlin, Registrar for the Admiralty (Ireland) under James II
• Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa (1831–1915), Fenian, Irish Republican Brotherhood figure
• Jerome X. O'Donovan (1944–2014), US Marine Corps captain, New York City councilman
• Morgan John Winthrop O'Donovan (1893–1969), O'Donovan of Clancahill
• Morgan William II O'Donovan (1861–1940), O'Donovan of Clancahill
• Richard II O'Donovan (died 1829), O'Donovan of Clancahill
• Seamus O'Donovan (1896–1979), Irish Republican Army figure

Government

• Daniel O'Donovan (MP Doneraile), represented the Manor of Doneraile in James II's Patriot Parliament
• Denis O'Donovan (born 1955), Irish politician, former Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann
• John James O'Donovan, better known as Seán O'Donovan (1893–1975), Irish Fianna Fáil politician and Veterinarian
• Patrick O'Donovan (1977), Irish Fine Gael politician
• Reubin Askew (Reubin O'Donovan Askew) (1928–2014), American politician
• Timothy O'Donovan (1881–1951), Irish politician, Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann
• William O'Donovan (1886–1955), British Conservative Party politician

Business & Finance

• Val O'Donovan (1936–2005), Cork-born Canadian electrical engineer, businessman, co-founder of COM DEV and Chancellor of the University of Waterloo

Religion

• Dennis J. O'Donovan (d. 1892), American Roman Catholic priest
• Gerald O'Donovan (born Jeremiah Donovan; 1871–1942), Irish priest and writer
• Oliver O'Donovan (born 1945), theologian
• Prue O'Donovan, Archdeacon of Flinders in the Anglican Diocese of Willochra

Academia

• Leo J. O'Donovan (born 1934), former President of Georgetown University
• Michael C. O'Donovan, Scottish psychiatric geneticist

Sport

• Ambrose O'Donovan (1962), former Gaelic footballer
• Colman O'Donovan (1927–2025), Irish hurler
• Conor O'Donovan (1962), former Irish hurler
• Darragh O'Donovan (1995), Irish hurler
• Domhnall O'Donovan (1988), Irish hurler
• Fachtna O'Donovan (1921–1995) Irish Gaelic footballer
• Gary O'Donovan (1992), Irish rower
• John Francis O’Donovan (1918–1999) Irish chess master
• Niall O'Donovan, Irish rugby union coach
• Ollie O'Donovan (b. 1966), Irish rallycross driver
• Paul O'Donovan (1994), Irish rower
• Roy O'Donovan (1985), Irish professional footballer

Entertainment

• Aoife O'Donovan (1982), Irish-American singer and songwriter.
• Frank O'Donovan (1900–1974), Irish actor, singer and songwriter
• Maeve O'Donovan (b. 1990), singer-songwriter from Limerick, Ireland
• Máirín O'Donovan (b. 1936), Irish actress, singer, and dancer
• Noel O'Donovan (actor) (1949–2019), Irish actor
• Ross O'Donovan (born 1987), animator and co-host of YouTube webseries, Steam Train

Fictional

• Liam O'Donovan (Tracy Beaker Returns), Tracy Beaker character

Other

• Barra Ó Donnabháin (1941–2003), Irish language columnist, The Irish Echo
• Brian O'Donovan (b. 1980), Irish journalist
• Daniel O'Donovan of Mahoonagh and Feenagh, was the hereditary chief of the remnants of the Ui- Donnabhain of the Uí Fidgenti,
• Edwin O'Donovan (1914–2000), American art director
• Fred O'Donovan (theatre producer) (1930–2010), Irish theatre producer and businessman
• Fred O'Donovan (actor) (1884–1952), Irish actor, film maker and theatre manager
• Gerard O'Donovan (b. 1958), Irish author
• Gerald O'Donovan (1871–1972), writer
• Ímar Ua Donnubáin, or Ivor O'Donovan, a legendary and celebrated petty king, navigator, trader, and reputed necromancer of 13th century Ireland
• Mary Jane O'Donovan Rossa (1845–1916), Irish poet and political activist
• Michael Francis O'Donovan (1903–1966), Irish author Frank O'Connor
• Tim O'Donovan (1932–2025), English Monarchist.
• William Rudolf O'Donovan (1844–1920), American sculptor

See also

• Donovan (disambiguation)
• John O'Donovan (disambiguation)
• William O'Donovan (disambiguation)
• O'Donovan Rossa (Skibbereen) GAA, Gaelic football and hurling club

Surname list

This page lists people with the surname O'Donovan.
If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.