Archdiocese of Adelaide, Biographies of deceased clergy, coordinated by Monsignor John Swann, available from https://adelaide.catholic.org.au/our-people/biographies-of-deceased-clergy, accessed on 6 November 2025:
Fr Denis Donovan

Biography:
Early life, ordination

Denis Donovan was born on January 25, 1914, at Mount Heaton, Roscrea, County Tipperary Mayo, Ireland. 

He obtained his early education and completed his Ecclesiastical studies at St Patrick's College, Carlow. He was ordained priest in the same College on June 12, 1939. He arrived in Adelaide early in the next year on February 13, 1940.

First appointments

After spending a few weeks as an assistant priest in the Cathedral parish he was appointed as assistant priest at Kingswood with Dean Davis, where he remained for five years.

In early July 1945 he became assistant priest at St Peters parish with Fr Crowley. Two years later he went to Goodwood, again as an assistant with Monsignor Hourigan.

On July 1, 1954 he was appointed parish priest at Richmond, a newly formed parish. At the time there was no presbytery so for the first few months he boarded with a Maggie Doyle and had meals with various families. He was set the task of setting up this new parish to be financially independent. An old parishioner recalls one of his sermons where he said he would no longer accept pennies in the collection plate – threepence and up only please! While there he extended the church and developed the school buildings. There was a smooth transition to being a separate parish.

Another parishioner recalls how as a child she loved Fr Donovan coming to his home for dinner and night time prayers. He was a joy and his accent was glorious and he made jokes all the time. In fact many parishioners found his accent rather difficult to understand.

While at Richmond Fr Donovan was the designated priest to attend the racecourse on race days – as was the custom then. From there he developed a love for racing. He was also remembered for his choice of cars – at that time an "Elliott Ness" style, a large red Essex, with side curtains and running boards.

Fr Donovan gathered a large number of young altar servers for regular meetings and practices. Many went on to organise themselves into cricket and football teams who competed with altar servers from other parishes.

At the end of March 1930 Fr Donovan was appointed parish priest of Strathalbyn where he remained for eight years.

On January 30, 1970 he was next appointed parish priest of Kilburn.

In May 1972 Fr Donovan took long service leave and went home to Ireland to visit family and friends. He was parish priest of Kilburn for 13 years.

Fr Donovan's death came rather suddenly on March 8, 1983. On the previous day he had played golf with his priest friends, but admitted that he was not feeling well. It seems that next morning he rose early as usual to prepare for morning Mass, but apparently, feeling unwell he went to lay down again. When he did not appear for Mass it was discovered that he had collapsed and an ambulance was called, but he died before reaching hospital.

His funeral Mass was celebrated at St Brigid's Church, Kilburn on March 10. In his homily Archbishop Gleeson recalled how Fr Donovan "enjoyed company and was respected and appreciated by so many, including many people who did not share the Catholic faith. His brother priests appreciated his company and innate loyalty which he offered to all his associates including Archbishop Beovich.

Essentially Fr Donovan was a rather shy and nervous person who sometimes lacked courage in decision making and never seemed to recognise and develop the many great gifts given to him by the Lord. On the other hand he enjoyed company and was more at home with people in their homes than he was at a school board or parish meeting.

Fr Denis is remembered as a generous, open-hearted priest and servant who, for so many, was a friend, pastor and guide. His devotion to the holy Mass was an inspiration to all.

Fr Donovan was buried in the Catholic section of the Enfield Cemetery.

May he rest in peace.

Reproduced by permission of Monsignor John Swann and the Archdiocese of Adelaide.