The Irish surname Donohue is an anglicized form of the Gaelic name  Ó Donnchadha meaning “descendant of Donnchadh,” a personal name, composed of the elements donn menaing “brown-haired man, or chieftain” and  cath meaning “battle.” The O' Donoghues constituted an important sept in Kerry and associated parts of Cork in the ancient area known as Desmond. They had been driven into Kerry by the McCarthys where their chief territory was known as Onaght O' Donoghue. Other O' Donoghue septs existed in mid Galway and in County Cavan.