Ramba uchiverenga ndima ino - Donovan akakurira muGalway uye akatamba mitambo kuchikoro chesekondari, achinyanya kutamba nhabvu yeGaelic, nhabvu, uye rugby. Zvisinei, apo aidzidzira nhabvu yeGaelic akawana chipo chokumhanya daro refu. Akaita kutanga kwake kwepasi rose pa1979 IAAF World Cross Country Championships yakaitwa pamba pake muLimerick, achimhanya mujaho wechidiki uye achiisa 54th. Akakunda chikamu chepakati cheBritish Schools Cross Country International gore iroro, pamwe nekumhanya mumamita 3000 kupisa pa1979 European Athletics Junior Championships. Kuoneka kwake kwokupedzisira kwevechidiki kwakanga kuri kumhanya pa1981 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
, kwaakavandudza kusvika kunzvimbo yechi18 uye akatungamirira chikwata chechidiki cheIrish kusvika kunzvimbo yechisere mumatanho.