he was born in goulburn to farmer michael davoren and mary welsh. he worked as a miner at wallsend and then a ganger at homebush, eventually farming near wauchope. he married mary gertrude mcgoldrick, with whom he had five children. a foundation member of the labor party, he served as a member of the new south wales legislative council from 1931 to 1934. davoren died in 1941 at lidcombe.