Donnchadh Mac Gabhann was raised in a rural part of the northern borderlands of Ireland. He received a Gaelic-speaking education and had an early interest in language, reading, and writing. During his formative years, he was fascinated by the differing patterns of behaviour and belief he observed in people according to their circumstances and dispositions. This interest led him to study history and political science at Trinity College Dublin and has subsequently led to his current education at Uppsala University where he is specialising in Holocaust and Genocide Studies to obtain a greater insight into the nature of humanity.