Marty Whelan

Marty Whelan
Born	Martin Whelan June 7, 1956 (1956-06-07) (age 55) Dublin, Ireland
Residence	Portmarnock, County Dublin, Ireland
Nationality	Irish
Occupation	Broadcaster
Employer	RTÉ
Salary	€ 229,056 a year (2008)[1]
Religion	Roman Catholic
Spouse	Maria Whelan
Children	Jessica, Thomas
Parents	John and Lilly

Martin 'Marty' Whelan (born 7 June 1956) is a Jacob's Award-winning Irish radio and television personality currently working for Raidió Teilifís Éireann. Frequently seen and heard on RTÉ radio and television, he has presented a variety of shows. Whelan's early television credits included his own gameshows, Millionaire and Fame and Fortune, as well as the weekday afternoon show, Open House.

Whelan was master of ceremonies at The Rose of Tralee contest until Ryan Tubridy replaced him in 2003, a role which Whelan had held since 1997. His RTÉ 2fm radio show, Marty in the Morning was axed in 2007 and replaced with The Colm & Jim-Jim Breakfast Show. Whelan has since made a return to television, winning the reality series Celebrity Bainisteoir in 2008. Since winning the series, he has made another return to television to guest-host the RTÉ One topical comedy show The Panel.^[2] He also acted as guest judge in RTÉ's Charity You're a Star, standing in for Louis Walsh in one programme.

Marty at Midday saw Whelan receive his own weekday lunchtime show on RTÉ lyric fm, commencing September 2009. He then returned to television again in September 2009 to co-present Winning Streak with Kathryn Thomas. He has been doing this ever since.

Since 2000, Whelan has provided the television commentary for RTÉ's coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest,^[3] although Whelan provided the Irish commentary for the Eurovision Song Contest 1987.^[4]

Early life

Whelan was born in Dublin in 1956. An only child, he was overprotected by his parents but was always surrounded by other children. He later commented on his childhood, "I had cousins, friends constantly to play with -- my memories are all in the company of children."^[5] Whelan attended school in Killester. He spent five years working with an insurance company before he made the break into radio with the pirate radio station Radio Dublin.

Career

1979-1991

In 1979, Whelan joined RTÉ Radio 2, now known as RTÉ 2fm. During his first tenure with the station he presented a number of shows such as Drivetime and Marty till Midnight. He also spent three years presenting RTÉ 2fm's Breakfast Show in a role he would return to in 2005.

In the mid-1980s Whelan began developing his television career, becoming the first male presenter of the hit fashion programme Head 2 Toe.^[6] Other popular TV shows followed, including the Where in the World? quiz programme (1986–1989) and Video File (1983–1989), in which he interviewed major stars of the music world.

In 1989, Whelan left RTÉ radio to join its rival radio station, Century Radio. When that project failed^[7] he was given the cold shoulder by RTÉ.

1991-2004

Whelan returned to the national broadcaster in the mid-1990s when he presented such shows as GFI: Go For It, Off the Record and Millionaire. He hosted RTÉ One's summer lottery show Fame and Fortune on Saturday nights for at least ten years. He spent ten years on television as presenter of the John Player Tops.

In 1997, Whelan became master of ceremonies at the annual Rose of Tralee contest but, in the first of a series of losses, he was replaced by Ryan Tubridy in 2003.^[8] In 2004, RTÉ's flagship afternoon magazine programme Open House was axed, leaving Whelan jobless once again.^[9] Whelan had filled the role of co-host alongside Mary Kennedy since 1998. He was reported to be "shocked" and "very disappointed".^[10] He also said he would "personally deliver every copy" of Mary Kennedy's new book Paper Tigers, reasoning, "Sure I have nothing else to be doing with my time".^[11]

2004-present

A substitute slot for Gerry Ryan on his morning radio show on RTÉ 2fm in the summer of 2005 led to a more permanent return to the station for Whelan. Marty in the Morning, which itself caused controversy when it replaced The Rick & Ruth Breakfast Show, began on 26 September 2005. In January 2007, it was announced that Marty in the Morning would end^[12] that March, when Colm & Jim-Jim arrived from FM104. The presenter was on holiday when he discovered another show had been axed.^[13] Whelan returned to the role of filling in for Gerry Ryan whenever Ryan was on holiday from 30 July until 3 September 2007.^[14]

Since then Whelan has appeared as himself in feature films, at the co-opening of a Dunnes outlet in Galway with retired broadcaster Gay Byrne^[15] and filling a cameo role (again as himself) on the soap opera, Fair City. He still commentates on RTÉ's television coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest each May.^[16]

Whelan presented a two-hour Sunday with Marty Whelan show on RTÉ lyric fm from Sunday, 1 March 2009 at 14:30,^[17] taking over from veteran broadcaster Gay Byrne, but only until that September.^[18] In July 2009, Whelan provided commentary on the Michael Jackson memorial service for RTÉ Two.^[19] Following on from Sunday with Marty Whelan, he received his own weekday lunchtime show on lyric fm, Marty at Midday, commencing September 2009.^[20][21][22] That same month, he began co-presenting Winning Streak on RTÉ One each Saturday night, alongside Kathryn Thomas.

Personal life

Whelan lives in Portmarnock, County Dublin with his wife, Maria, one of six children.^[5] The couple have two children, Jessica (born 1990) and Thomas (born 1993). They met in 1974. They dated for ten years and married on 13 August 1985. At the time they were both living at home, her with her parents, Tom and Kathleen, in Beaumont, Dublin and him with his mother, Lilly, and his father, John, who is deceased. Whelan's wife gave up her job as an air hostess with Aer Lingus upon their marriage.

Whelan's interests include badminton, rugby, DIY and football. In his spare time he likes to play indoor football with some of his colleagues at RTÉ, and is also a founding member of the Donaghmede Badminton Club.

Awards

In 1986, Whelan won a Jacob's Award for Video File.

Year	Nominated work	Award	Result
1986	Marty Whelan	Jacob's Awards	Won

References

1. ^ Hegarty, Shane (29 February 2008). "1 Pat Kenny = 3 Derek Mooneys". The Irish Times. http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/presenttense/2008/02/29/pat-kenny-3-derek-mooneys/. Retrieved 22 November 2008. 
2. ^ "The Panel: Thursday, 20 November 2008". RTÉ. 20 November 2008. http://www.rte.ie/tv/thepanel/20081120.html. Retrieved 20 November 2008. 
3. ^ Last, Jane (20 May 2010). "RTE so lonely after loss of Gerry - Marty". Evening Herald (Independent News & Media). http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/around-town/rte-so-lonely-after-loss-of-gerry-marty-2187066.html. Retrieved 20 May 2010. 
4. ^ "MARTY WHELAN - IRELAND". BBC News (BBC). 12 May 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6619487.stm#marty. Retrieved 12 May 2007. 
5. ^ ^{a b} "Marty Whelan: surviving as an only child". Irish Independent. 19 November 2008. http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/parenting/marty-whelan-surviving-as-an-only-child-1544207.html. Retrieved 22 November 2008. 
6. ^ "Biography for Marty Whelan". IMDb. Accessed 22 November 2008.
7. ^ "Century Radio?". Sunday Independent. 3 December 2006. http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/century-radio-137585.html. Retrieved 22 November 2008. 
8. ^ Cunningham, Grainne; Hegarty, Joanne (5 March 2004). "Marty and Mary seek new TV doors after RTE slams shut 'Open House'". Irish Independent. http://www.independent.ie/national-news/marty-and-mary-seek-new-tv-doors-after-rte-slams-shut-open-house-179183.html. Retrieved 5 March 2004. 
9. ^ Nolan, Larissa (11 April 2004). "King of daytime TV will reign again". Sunday Independent. http://www.independent.ie/unsorted/features/king-of-daytime-tv-will-reign-again-479232.html. Retrieved 11 April 2004. 
10. ^ Sheehy, Clodagh (4 March 2004). "Whelan shock as RTE wields axe on 'Open House'". Irish Independent. http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/independent-woman/celebrity-news-gossip/whelan-shock-as-rte-wields-axe-on-open-house-178943.html. Retrieved 4 March 2004. 
11. ^ "Open House shuts its doors. Why? Well, it was a success of course". Irish Independent. 4 March 2004. http://www.independent.ie/unsorted/features/open-house-shuts-its-doors-why-well-it-was-a-success-of-course-178951.html. Retrieved 4 March 2004. 
12. ^ "Avril's popular show to stay in 2fm schedule". Irish Independent. 16 January 2007. http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/news-gossip/avrils-popular-show-to-stay-in-2fm-schedule-59517.html. Retrieved 22 November 2008. 
13. ^ O'Brien, Jason (13 January 2007). "'Alarmed' RTÉ radio axes Marty's show". Irish Independent. http://www.independent.ie/national-news/alarmed-rte-radio-axes-martys-show-59201.html. Retrieved 17 October 2008. 
14. ^ O'Brien, Jason (2 July 2007). "RTE's top radio stars are told to stagger their summer holidays". Irish Independent. http://www.independent.ie/national-news/rtes-top-radio-stars-are-told-to-stagger-their-summer-holidays-892854.html. Retrieved 22 November 2008. 
15. ^ "Gay Byrne and Marty Whelan open new Galway Dunnes Stores". Galway Independent. 19 September 2007. http://www.galwayindependent.com/business/business/gay-byrne-and-marty-whelan-open-new-galway-dunnes-stores/. Retrieved 22 November 2008. 
16. ^ "Marty and the 'cool' Irish". Irish Independent. 23 May 2006. http://www.independent.ie/opinion/letters/marty-and-the-cool-irish-99172.html. Retrieved 22 November 2008. 
17. ^ "Whelan to host new RTÉ lyric fm show". RTÉ. 24 February 2009. http://www.rte.ie/arts/2009/0224/whelanm.html. Retrieved 24 February 2009. 
18. ^ Nolan, Lorna (25 February 2009). "Marty is back on the radio after a two-year break". Evening Herald. http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/marty-is-back-on-the-radio-after-a-twoyear-break-1652383.html. Retrieved 25 February 2009. 
19. ^ Boland, John (11 July 2009). "Out of step with the Jacko love-in". Irish Independent. http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/out-of-step-with--the-jacko-lovein-1817230.html. Retrieved 12 February 2010. 
20. ^ "Fanning moves back to 2FM". RTÉ. 18 August 2009. http://www.rte.ie/arts/2009/0818/fanningd.html. Retrieved 18 August 2009. 
21. ^ "Fanning moves back to 2fm". Hot Press. 17 August 2009. http://www.hotpress.com/Dave%20Fanning/news/Fanning%20moves%20back%20to%202fm/5737826.html. Retrieved 18 August 2009. 
22. ^ O'Farrell, Stephen; Noonan, Laura (18 August 2009). "Why Miriam is primed to do more on radio". Irish Independent. http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/tv-radio/why-miriam-is-primed-to-do--more-on-radio-1862307.html. Retrieved 19 August 2009. 

External links

• Marty Whelan at the Internet Movie Database

Media offices
Preceded by Gerry Ryan	Eurovision Song Contest Ireland Commentator 1987	Succeeded by Ronan Collins
Preceded by Pat Kenny	Eurovision Song Contest Ireland Commentator 2000 - present	Succeeded by
Preceded by Derek Davis	Host of The Rose of Tralee 1997 – 2002	Succeeded by Ryan Tubridy

Persondata
Name	Whelan, Marty
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1956-06-07
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death