From Addict to Adventurer: Gavan Hennigan talks drug-dealing, sexuality and rowing the Atlantic in exclusive Hot Press interview

Record-breaking Irish sports hero Gavan Hennigan made history when he made the notoriously dangerous Atlantic Challenge crossing as part of the 12-boat Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge.

Now, in an extraordinary and powerfully honest interview with Hot Press, Ireland’s bravest sports-person discusses:
- His traumatic drugs overdoses
- Why he became a drug dealer and was almost forced to become a police informer before absconding Ireland.
- The circumstances of an attempted suicide
- Why he’s only attracted to older men
- His difficult relationship with his father, who died only weeks before his historic row across the Atlantic.

A remarkable Galwegian adventurer and deep sea diver, Gavan Hennigan has endured many extreme sport challenges.

But in this wide-ranging, outspoken and fascinating interview in the new issue of Hot Press (out tomorrow Thursday 30, March), the 35-year-old super-athlete candidly discusses how his greatest achievement is the fact that he overcame his battles with drugs, alcoholism and depression – including a suicide attempt – as well as his struggles to come to terms with his sexuality.

Speaking exclusively with Jason O’Toole, Gavan Hennigan reveals that he struggled to come to terms with being gay, explains his fears that he might've been HIV positive at 21 and reflects on why he’s only interested in “older men”.

“This is an interview,” Hot Press editor Niall Stokes said, "that really should be read, carefully and with an open mind, and with a willingness to learn, by everyone who is involved in public policy making in Ireland and indeed in NGOs – especially those who work in areas that touch on children’s welfare, on mental health, on sex and sexuality, on drugs, on the role of religion and on sport. I want to say a huge thanks to Gavan Hannigan for the courage it took to approach the interview in the way that he did, and for the honesty and intelligence and sense of humour that he shows throughout. He truly is a remarkable individual, whose resourcefulness, dedication and extraordinary strength of character are an example to everyone.”

Gavin on his father: “My dad was a bad drinker and he had mental health (issues). He was bi-polar. And my earliest memories are arguments and her trying to kick him out – and him eventually going. My mum and dad separated when I was young.”

Gavan on drugs: “I started drinking and then started smoking hash, doing mushrooms, acid and Es. By the time I was 17, I was pretty full-blown. Drink and drugs swallowed me up pretty easily.”

Gavan on getting into trouble with the law: “I eventually got caught. I had drugs – not a big amount of drugs – on me and they didn’t really want to charge me: they wanted me to do in a bigger guy. They threatened me and took me in...”

Gavan on realising he was gay: “I had trouble accepting it. I didn’t really feel like I fitted into that sort of world either.”

Gavan on his attraction to older men: “I get asked it a lot by someone who’s my own age who’s gay and they’re chatting me up: and it’s a question, ‘Why aren’t you into someone younger and fit looking?’ There’s obviously some connection there, because my dad was never around.”

Gavan on his plans to sail across the Atlantic for a second time this summer: “I’m rowing back from New York to Galway in the summer – that’s the big one. So, it’s a really cool thing to be doing. And just to row the Atlantic twice in 12 months will be a pretty spectacular thing to be able to do.”

Full of intelligence, insight and wisdom, the interview also sees Gavan Hennigan blast the Catholic Church over it’s homophobic stance, chat hilariously about using Grindr, explain why he doesn’t wants to have children, talk candidly about suicide, and discuss the dangerous challenges he’s undertaking as an adventurer…

You can buy Hot Press 41-02, our Six Nations Special direct from hotpress.com
Or download from the iOS app for iPad/iPhone
Or download from the Android App