John O'Donovan

John O'Donovan (23 January 1908 – 17 May 1982) was an Irish politician.

Early and personal life He was born 23 January 1908 in Rockboro House, Macroom, County Cork, the son of Cornelius O'Donovan originally from Clonmel, an agricultural instructor, and his wife Hanna (née Twomey). He was educated at Catholic University School, Dublin, and obtained an entrance scholarship to University College Dublin (UCD), where he graduated BA in 1928 with first class honours in economics, history and jurisprudence. In 1929 he took a first class honours MA in economics and was awarded a travelling studentship, which he held at University College, Oxford, where he graduated B.Litt. in 1931. A Rockefeller Fellowship enabled him to spend the academic year 1931–1932 at Harvard University's graduate School, the Brookings Institution and the University of Chicago. In 1940 he was awarded a D.Econ.Sc. from the National University of Ireland for The economic history of live stock in Ireland. On his first day in the Dáil, O'Donovan was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Government. His close political relationship with John A. Costello was underlined by the taoiseach's decision to appoint him as special economic adviser to the cabinet and by his attendance at cabinet meetings. In O'Donovan v. Attorney-General (1961), the High Court held that the Act was unconstitutional and suggested that the ratio of representation to population across constituencies should differ by no more than 5%. The court, interpreting the "so far as it is practicable" condition of the Constitution, suggested a 5% variation as the limit without exceptional circumstances.

Later life He lived for most of his life in Dundrum, Dublin with his wife Kathleen Mahon of Tullamore, whom he married in 1936. They had one son and five daughters. He died on 17 May 1982 at Kilcroney nursing home, Dublin.