Brian O'Donovan, the host of the "A Celtic Sojourn" radio show on GBH and an ambassador for Irish culture, died Friday at the age of 66 after a lengthy battle with brain cancer.
GBH confirmed O'Donovan's passing in an email Saturday afternoon.
“His passion for music and his sheer joy in sharing it was abundantly clear to GBH listeners, whether of his weekly show or of his spirited live events," GBH President and CEO Susan Goldberg said in a statement. "In more than 35 years with our organization, Brian never met a stranger. His warmth to his colleagues, and his deep commitment to the mission of GBH, will be greatly missed.”
A native of Ireland, O'Donovan moved to Boston in 1980. He was hired as a consultant on an Irish Music Festival at Sullivan Stadium -- now known as Gillette Stadium -- in 1984, a move that led to a full-time job running an events program for the Sullivan family, who owned the New England Patriots at the time. He was named general manager of the stadium in 1987, and when Robert Kraft purchased it in 1989 he was named vice president. In that role, he helped secure the United States' 1994 World Cup bid and helped create Major League Soccer. When the league launched, he took on the role of general manager and chief operating officer of the New England Revolution. He served in the team's front office until 2000.
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The New England Revolution and owners Robert and Jonathan Kraft issued a statement, saying they are "deeply saddened to lose a dear friend in Brian O'Donovan."
"Brian was universally respected by all who knew him and had a warmth, intelligence, and joy for life that left an indelible mark on those around him," they said in their statement. "While we all will remember Brian fondly for his decades on the Boston airwaves bringing 'A Celtic Sojourn' into our homes and radios, we know that without his vision, soccer would not be where it is today in New England."
The Krafts said O'Donovan’s leadership helped them bring the FIFA World Cup to Foxboro for the first time in 1994, and then when our family became a founding partner in Major League Soccer the next year, he was the obvious choice to set the foundation for the Revolution as the club’s first general manager and chief operating officer.
"Brian’s legacy is woven into the fabric of Boston and the city’s distinct Irish-American culture, and his influence will be felt for years to come, especially by all those who had the pleasure of knowing him," they said.
