Kevin O'Donovan

Kevin O’Donovan, a native of Ballydehob, County Cork, enlisted in the Irish Defence Forces in 1941 and received his commission in 1945 following graduation from Cadet School. He was also educated at Franciscan College, Maltyfarnham and attended the Command and Staff School Military College in 1951. In the 1940s, he established a reputation as a noted sportsman and was active in hurling, football and basketball. In 1948, then-Lieutenant O’Donovan was selected to play on the Irish basketball team at the 1948 Olympics in London, a team composed mainly of fellow servicemen.

His later military service included being in the 3rd Battalion at Curragh Command and as a training officer with the 9th Battalion before serving overseas in the 38th Battalion with the United Nations Forces in the Congo in 1962. His appointments included additional overseas service on two occasions in Cyprus, officer Commanding Clonmel Barracks and with 6th Brigade as Adjutant and Operations Officer. Following his retirement from the military at the rank of Commandant in 1970, O’Donovan settled in Kilkenny where he was a plant manager at Mahon and McPhillips Ltd. Married with six children, he also was an active member of his local chamber of commerce and the Kilkenny Golf Club. He died at his residence in 1992 after a long illness.