Pedzisa mutsara unotevera: 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 pa
1979 IAAF World Cross Country Championships yakaitwa pamusha muLimerick, ichimhanya mumakwikwi evana vaduku uye ichiisa 54th. 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.