It was Larcom's duty, as an official of the Government, to hunt down the
Fenians, both native and foreign, so that he had undertaken a serious
and perplexing charge. For O'Donovan's elder sons were strong
Nationalists and Fenians; so that, on the death of his old friend,
Larcom was like an old hen having charge of a brood of ducklings who
could not be kept from the troubled waters of Fenianism. There is no
doubt that Larcom's influence kept them from or saved them from a lot
of trouble. The O'Donovans were an accomplished family, the one I knew
best, besides Edmond, being Richard, who has held a responsible
mercantile position for some years, and who furnished me with much
valuable information about his father, when Thomas Flannery--one of our
best Gaelic scholars--was writing a life of Dr. John O'Donovan for my
"Irish Library" series.

Besides being thoroughly acquainted with several languages, Edmond
O'Donovan had an excellent scientific training, which was brought into
requisition in connection with the projected Fenian military movements
in Ireland. While a thorough classical scholar, the poems he liked best
were the songs of Thomas Davis and the Young Irelanders. He was slender
of figure and had a handsome oval face. In speaking, whether in private
or before an audience, he had an animated and expressive manner, with a
good deal of gesture, such as a Frenchman or Italian would use. I have
heard him singing songs like "Clare's Dragoons" with much fire and
fervour, throwing his whole soul into it in a way I can never forget.

In 1877-1878 he was a special correspondent in the Russo-Turkish war
with the Turkish army, and he sent home powerful and graphic accounts of
every battle and siege.