Whakaotihia te rerenga e whai ake nei: I tipu ake a Donovan i Galway, ā, i uru ia ki ngā hākinakina i te kura tuarua, ko te nuinga o te wā e uru ana ki te whutupaoro Gaelic, te whutupaoro, me te whutupaoro. Heoi, i a ia e whakangungu ana mo te whutupaoro Gaelic i kitea e ia he koha mo te oma tawhiti. I eke ia ki te ao whānui i te
1979 IAAF World Cross Country Championships i whakahaerehia i runga i te whenua i Limerick, i rere i roto i te whakataetae rangatahi me te tuu i te 54. I wikitoria ia i te waahanga takawaenga o te British Schools Cross Country International i taua tau, me te oma i nga 3000 mita i te 1979 European Athletics Junior Championships. Ko tana putanga rangatahi nui whakamutunga i rere i te 1981 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, i reira ka pai ake ia ki te 18 o nga waahi ka arahi i te roopu rangatahi o Ireland ki te tuawaru o nga rangatira.