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 kwenyika yose pa1979 IAAF World Cross Country Championships
akaitwa mumusha mavo muLimerick, achimhanya munhangemutange yevechiduku ndokuisa yechi54. Akakunda chikamu chepakati cheBritish Schools Cross Country International gore iroro, pamwe nekumhanya mumamita 3000 kupisa pa1979 European Athletics Junior Championships. Kuonekwa kwake kwekupedzisira kwevechidiki kwakanga kuri kumhanya mu1981 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, kwaakavandudza kusvika panzvimbo yechi18 uye akatungamira timu yechidiki yeIrish kusvika pachinhanho chechisere.