Brian O'Donovan, Celtic Sojurn host, dies at 66

Saturday afternoons will not be the same. +RIP Brian O'Donovan

Brian made a huge contribution to the Celtic and folk music scene here in Boston and around the world. A gentle soul who believed in the goodness of people, he helped many musicicans, actors and others find their footing.

When I worked Saturday OT at my ExJob many years ago, I would listen to my radio as a way to help me get through my work. A Celtic Sojourn came on before Car Talk and Wait! Wait! Don't Tell Me! and it was a pleasant interlude before those two shows.

Rest in peace, Mr. O'Donovan.

By that I mean a person who you wanted running things.

Brian O'Donovan was the one who made concerts in Foxboro normal and unchaotic. (When running events there, he invited my mother to go to a Genesis concert after he invited her to a Phil Collins concert - Her report - Phill Collins was lovely, Genesis was much louder).

Brian O'Donovan was one of the people who got the Revolution off the ground and running.

Brian O'Donovan straightened out the post development growing pains at the Irish Cultural Center.

Brian O'Donovan got a lot of people listening to Celtic music.

You could feel that everyone knew that the final Celtic Christmas Sojourn performance last December was also his last. Brian was quiet and deflective to the applause instead trying to focus it on the performers. A solid person. Fair play to a guy from a small town in West Cork.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

Brian O'Donovan's openness to the many branches of Celtic music greatly expanded our knowledge of it.

RIP.