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 egwuregwu mba ụwa mbụ ya na 1979 IAAF World Cross Country Championships nke emere n'ụlọ 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. Ihe ikpeazụ o mere bụ ịgba ọsọ n'asọmpi
1981 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, ebe o mere ka ọ dịkwuo mma ruo ebe nke iri na asatọ ma duru ndị otu Irish na-eto eto ruo nke asatọ na ọkwa.