Mezue ahịrịokwu na-esonụ: Donovan tolitere na Galway ma sonye n'egwuregwu n'ụlọ akwụkwọ sekọndrị, na-etinyekarị aka n'egwuregwu Gaelic football, soccer, na rugby. Agbanyeghị, mgbe ọ na-azụ maka bọọlụ Gaelic ọ chọtara onyinye maka ịgba ọsọ ogologo. O mere asọmpị mba ụwa mbụ ya na
1979 IAAF World Cross Country Championships mere n'ala nna ya na Limerick, na-agba ọsọ n'ọsọ ndị na-eto eto ma tinye 54th. O meriri ngalaba etiti nke British Schools Cross Country International n'afọ ahụ, yana ịgba ọsọ na 3000 mita na 1979 European Athletics Junior Championships. Ọdịdị ikpeazụ ya bụ ịgba ọsọ na 1981 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, ebe o mere ka ọ dịkwuo mma na 18th ma duru ndị otu Irish na-eto eto na nke asatọ na ọkwa.