Denis Donovan

Shot 29 Mar 1921. There are no Witness Statements on this shooting. Though Tom Barry declared: ‘The British held such a high opinion of this agent that they compulsorily closed all businesses in Bandon on the day of his funeral. Another reaction of theirs was to burn four republican farmhouses in the neighbourhood of the action.’ See Barry (1949, 1989), 140-41.

We know from the Inquest and press reports that Denis Donovan was a Petty Officer with 23 years service, who had retired about 1919. The Denis Donovan in this service record enlisted May 1895 and retired as a CPO . One can follow his RN career from the births of his children

• Gunnery Instructor on Battleship HMS Kent in China in 1908. HMS Kent was one of 10 Monmouth-class armoured cruisers built for the Royal Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. She was placed in reserve when completed in 1903, but was recommissioned for the China Station in 1906. She remained there until she returned home in 1913 for a lengthy refit.
• Naval Constable in 1914
• Ships Corporal in 1916 on HMS Blake. A position that held the rank of Petty Officer. HMS Blake was the lead ship of her class of protected cruiser that served in the Royal Navy from 1889–1922. She was launched on 23 November 1889 at Chatham Dockyard, but not completed until 2 February 1892. She was later converted to a destroyer depot ship in 1907, serving through World War I as depot ship to the 11th Destroyer Flotilla of the Grand Fleet, and was finally sold for scrapping in 1922.

1880 Jan 15 Born Broadstrand, Cork

1895 May 4. Enlists in RN

1907 Jun 20 Married Kate Leary in Bandon

Births of his 3 children

1917 Nov 21. Invalided out of the RN with shell shock

1921 Mar 29. Shot at his home in Bandon

The widow Kate O’Donovan later claimed £7,000 for the loss of her husband; the court awarded £2,000, to be divided between the widow and her four young children, one of whom was born shortly after the murder.

Ex-soldiers killed in Ireland