Brian O'Donovan pauses 'A Celtic Sojourn' shows as he battles brain cancer

Brian O'Donovan, who has been bringing his "A Celtic Sojourn" shows as host and producer to The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts in Worcester since the theater opened in 2008, has announced that the shows will be paused due to his battling terminal brain cancer.

The Irish-born anchor of Boston radio station GBH's popular "A Celtic Sojourn" has gathered some of the best Celtic singers, musicians and dancers for touring shows both in the holiday season and also around St. Patrick's Day.

O'Donovan normally serves as what he has called as "man of the house, master of ceremonies, or congenial host."

But in a message to "My Dearest Celtic Sojourn Family" that was released on Sept. 12, O'Donovan said, "I write with a difficult announcement regarding our live productions of A Celtic Sojourn. As many of you know, I have been battling terminal brain cancer, and have had to make some tough decisions We will be pausing A Celtic Sojourn, Live shows — both Christmas and St. Patrick’s Day — until further notice."

The pandemic brought a temporary close to twice-a-year live in-person visits to The Hanover Theatre as the "A Celtic Sojourn" shows went mostly virtual.

Still, his "A St. Patrick's Day Celtic Sojourn" came back to The Hanover Theatre in 2022 for the first time since 2019 on St. Patrick's Day itself.

O'Donovan, who has remarked several times that he likes coming to Worcester because of the warmth of the audiences, said the Worcester date of March 17 "has huge significance for us," during an interview with Worcester Magazine just before the show went on.

In September, 2022, O'Donovan first announced his diagnosis of terminal brain cancer.

He did not tour and with "GBH Presents A Christmas Celtic Sojourn with Brian O'Donovan" last year. When the show was at The Hanover Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12, 2022,  producer and director Jenna Worden  said she would do some of the hosting.

This year's "St. Patrick's Day Sojourn" did not come to Worcester. "I hope you understand that this is the right decision for me and my family at this time," O'Donovan said in his announcement about pausing the shows.  "The Rockport Celtic Festival (where O'Donovan is co-artistic director) will continue to take place, and we remain open to the possibility of revisiting our Christmas and St. Patrick’s Day shows in the future, with as many of the same team members in place as possible. We are working on a 'best-of' film to celebrate 20 years of performances, which we hope to share with you later this year."

O'Donovan continued, "For the past two decades, this journey has been a magical tapestry of music, dance, and storytelling, woven together with the threads of our shared love for Celtic traditions and culture. It has been a joy to work with so many wonderfully creative people over the years, uniting musicians from various traditions in celebration of the holidays and our shared humanity. Together, we traveled back through time, rediscovering ancient traditions, celebrating with carols, and experiencing the warmth of Celtic hospitality."

O'Donovan was born and raised in Clonakilty, a town of about 3,000 in West Cork, Ireland. He has made a name for himself here in various capacities, including as former general manager of the New England Revolution Major League Soccer team, and as a music producer and broadcaster. He has said he was originally only going to visit Boston for three days, but ended up staying.  He was a graduate student at Emerson College. At a music jam-session he was introduced to Lindsay Henes. They married in August of 1981.

"And so as we reach the end of this chapter, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to each and every one of you," O'Donovan concluded in his announcement.

"Your involvement in and support of A Celtic Sojourn has been a constant source of inspiration and strength, and I thank you for it. You have been more than an audience; you have been my companions, my confidants, and my friends, and you each hold a special place in my heart."

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Brian O'Donovan pauses 'A Celtic Sojurn' shows as he battles terminal brain cancer