The Team

JARLATH CUNNANE - SKIPPER

Jarlath, Owner and Skipper of Northabout the expedition boat. A construction manager from County Mayo, Jarlath has sailed extensively throughout the North Atlantic and Mediterranean with a lifetime's sailing experience off the West Coast of Ireland. He built and sailed Tom Crean, the replica of Shackletons' James Caird lifeboat used in the South Aris expedition. Jarlath has received many awards for sailing, including the Irish Cruising Club's Gold medal, and the Ocean Cruising Club's premier award. He was skipper of the Northwest passage voyage 2001.

PADDY BARRY - EXPEDITION LEADER

Paddy made a famous first crossing of the Atlantic in his Galway Hooker St Patrick. His voyages to Spitzbergen at the edge of the Polar Ice Pack and to Greenland resulted in the award to him of coveted Blue Water Medal of the Cruising Club of America. Paddy was joint leader of South Arrs and was skipper of Tom Crean during the 1997 Antarctic expedition and was expedition leader of the Northwest Passage voyage 2001. Paddy will co-ordinate the project, plan detailed logistics and be Radio Operator for the voyage. Paddy a native of Cork, is a Civil Engineer by profession.

KEVIN CRONIN - FINANCE


Kevin has extensive sailing experience and has sailed to the Arctic and Antarctica. He sailed on the Galway Hooker St Patrick on its historic voyages to America (1986) and Greenland (1993). He is a keen cyclist and fly fisher. He is from Dublin, a chartered accountant and is the expedition treasurer.

MICHAEL BROGAN - DOCTOR


Mike Brogan is a native of Kinvara, County Galway. He is the owner/skipper of MacDuagh a Galway Hooker in which he has sailed extensively in Irish and European waters. In 1990 he sailed to Iceland and Spitzbergen on Paddy Barry's Hooker St Patrick. Mike is a medical doctor and will look after the crew's health needs in the preparation and on the expedition. He plays the fiddle and is a member of several choral groups. He now lives in Ballyhaunis, County Mayo.

GARRY FINNEGAN

Freelance cameraman, works on drama, documentaries, commercials. Clients includes RTE, BBC, ITV, Japanese TV, Croatia TV, Norwegian TV and Slovenia TV. Worked in Cambodia, India, China, USA, and throughout Europe. Contact at www.garyfinnegan.itgo.com

COLM BROGAN


Fluent Russian speaker. He spent ten years working and living in Russia(CIS) and is currently living in his native home, Kinvara, Galway. Has been active in many different sports including football and mountaineering. He has extensive sailing experience.

RORY CASEY - IT & ELECTRONICS


Rory sailed on Northabout through the Inside Passage, British Columbia, Canada last summer. He is originally a native of Roscommon, and has travelled extensively in Nepal, Tibet and India. He has lived in Australia, USA and Canada. Rory is a qualified Mountain Leader, has climbed in the Himalayas, the Pyrenees, and the Rockies, and is a Level 4 Rugby coach. Rory works is Managing Director of Fibrepulse, a fibre optic company supplying the telecoms market, and lives in Castlebar, Co. Mayo.

VLADISLAV SAMOILOVICH
ICE PILOT, NORTHERN SEA ROUTE.

Vladislav Lashkevich (know as Slava)

Was born in Moscow and grew up in Siberia. At 15, he joined the Russian Navy and studied navigation. He became a captain with the Administration of the Northern Sea Route and has 23 years experience of navigating the Russian Arctic. He was based in Tiksi for 15 years and now lives in Moscow. He is married to Valentia and they have a daughter, Anna.

BRENDAN MINISH
BASE STATION RADIO OPERATOR


Brendan will keep the team informed of weather and ice information, via HF radio, and will be the team's link to the outside world.
Brendan also takes care of regular updates to the website
Email: bminish@eircom.net