Gary O'Donovan is an Irish rower. Together with his brother Paul he won the gold medal in the lightweight double sculls at the 2016 European Rowing Championships, silver in the same discipline at the 2016 Summer Olympics, and gold at the 2018 World Rowing Championships. He was the flag bearer for Ireland during the closing ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics.

The 2018 European Rowing Championships were rowing championships for European members of the International Rowing Federation (FISA) plus Israel. They were held as part of a new multi-sport European Championships at the Strathclyde Country Park near Motherwell, Scotland.