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 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. Chiratidziro chake chokupedzisira chikuru chevaduku chakanga chiri kumhanya pa
1981 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, apo akavandudza kusvika panzvimbo yechi18 uye akatungamirira chikwata chechidiki cheIrish kusvika kune yechisere mumakwikwi.