Gavan Hennigan (born 1981) is an Irish Extreme Environment Athlete. [1] [2]
Hennigan grew up in Galway, Ireland. At the age of 16, he began abusing alcohol and drugs as a means to deal with his homosexuality and his father's alcoholism. Hennigan travelled abroad, living in a squat in Amsterdam and an unfurnished flat in London. He suffered blackouts from alcohol and drug overdoses, eventually entering rehab for his addictions when he was 21. [3] [4] [5] [6]
By trade a saturation diver on oil rigs for over 10 years, in 2016 Hennigan became the "fastest solo competitor in the history of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, dubbed the world's toughest row." Hennigan completed the three thousand mile long journey in "49 days, 11 hours and 37 minutes." [7] [8]
Hennigan pursues snowboarding, mountaineering, ultra running, and rowing, raising over €12,000 for local Galway charities. [9] [10]
Whisky or whiskey is a type of liquor made from fermented grain mash. Various grains are used for different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden casks, which are typically made of charred white oak. Uncharred white oak casks previously used for the aging of port, rum or sherry are also sometimes used.
Galway is a city in County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay. It is the most populous settlement in the province of Connacht, the fifth most populous city on the island of Ireland and the fourth most populous in the Republic of Ireland, with a population at the 2022 census of 85,910.
Transatlantic crossings are passages of passengers and cargo across the Atlantic Ocean between Europe or Africa and the Americas. The majority of passenger traffic is across the North Atlantic between Western Europe and North America. Centuries after the dwindling of sporadic Viking trade with Markland, a regular and lasting transatlantic trade route was established in 1566 with the Spanish West Indies fleets, following the voyages of Christopher Columbus.
Coláiste Iognáid SJ, a bilingual secondary school, is located on Sea Road in Galway, Ireland. It was founded in 1645 and has had numerous locations over the years before its current home. The college is a co-educational, non-fee-paying secondary school and one of a number of Jesuit schools in Ireland. There are approximately 600 pupils in the school.
Ocean rowing is the sport of rowing across oceans. Some ocean rowing boats can hold as many as fourteen rowers; however, the most common ocean rowboats are designed for singles, doubles, and fours.
The Atlantic Rowing Race is an ocean rowing race from the Canary Islands to the West Indies, a distance of approximately 2,550 nm. The race was founded in 1997 by Sir Chay Blyth with subsequent races roughly every two years since. The early races were run by Challenge Business Ltd. until the race was bought by Woodvale Events Ltd., managed by Simon Chalk, in October 2003. In May 2012, Atlantic Campaigns SL, managed by Carsten Heron Olsen bought the rights to the Atlantic Rowing Race, now called The "Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge" – The World's Toughest Row. Since 2015, the race has been held annually starting each December.
Hennigan is a surname originating in Ireland, with the name being most common in Mayo and Sligo counties. Notable people with the surname include:
Damian Browne is an Irish former professional rugby union player turned extreme adventurer. Browne was capped by Ireland at U-21 level. He has played for Connacht, Northampton Saints, Brive, Leinster and Oyonnax.
Ray Carroll is an Irish rower.
Debra Louise Searle MVO MBE, née Newbury, later Veal, is a British adventurer, businesswoman, author and keynote speaker. Searle is famous for having rowed across the Atlantic alone after her then husband and rowing partner, Andrew Veal, was rescued from their plywood rowing boat.
Marin Medak is a Slovenian adventurer.
Tenacity on the Tasman is a 2009 documentary film about adventurer Olly Hicks's attempt to circumnavigate the world in a rowboat. The film premiered at the ODEON Leicester Square on November 19, 2009, becoming the first independently distributed documentary to premiere at the theater. The film was produced and directed by independent filmmaker George Olver through his production company Pendragon Productions, and distributed globally as part of the Adventure Film Festival.
Hugo Turner FRGS and Ross Turner FRGS, better known as The Turner Twins, are British adventurers best known for their pioneering expeditions.
Fiann Paul is a Polish-Icelandic explorer known for his exploits in ocean rowing.
Michael "Mike" Matson is an American ocean rower and author who holds 2 Guinness World Records.
Mental health in the Republic of Ireland is the subject of state and community sector intervention in Ireland. The Irish state devolves responsibility for mental health to the Department of Health. Community groups and charities also provide support in the prevention and management of mental illness as well as suicide prevention.
Ocean Rowing Society International (ORSI) (prior to 2006 known as ORS), is the governing body for international ocean rowing and official adjudicator of ocean rowing records for Guinness World Records. ORSI was founded in 1983 in California by ocean rower Peter Bird and Kenneth F.Crutchlow FRGS. Current coordinators of ORSI are Tatiana Rezvaya-Crutchlow and Chris Martin, and Fiann Paul.
The MacLean Brothers are a world record holding rowing team from Scotland.
Mark Agnew is a UK adventurer notable for kayaking the Northwest Passage. Mark was awarded European Adventurer of the Year 2023. He is the heir apparent to the Agnew baronets. Mark is the son of explorer Sir Crispin Agnew QC. Mark is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society
Kelda Wood is a British adaptive rower and canoeist. She represented Team GB in Paracanoe at the 2016 ICF Paracanoe World Championships. In 2019, she became the first solo adaptive athlete to complete the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge. During the challenge, she had to repair her vessel's adapted footplate and claimed she was accompanied by a whale for two days. She completed the challenge in 76-days. Wood is the chief executive officer of the young person's charity Climbing Out and received an MBE in the 2021 New Year Honours for charitable services.