29 Facts About Marty Whelan

Martin "Marty" Whelan was born on 7 June 1956 and is an Irish radio and television personality currently working for Raidio Teilifis Eireann.

In 1997, Whelan became the host of the annual The Rose of Tralee contest, a role he held until 2003 when Ryan Tubridy replaced him.

Marty Whelan has since made a return to television, winning the reality series Celebrity Bainisteoir in 2008.

Marty Whelan acted as guest judge in RTE'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 RTE lyric fm, commencing September 2009.

Marty Whelan then returned to television again in September 2009 to co-present Winning Streak with Kathryn Thomas.

In 1987 and since 2000, Marty Whelan has provided the television commentary for RTE's coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest.

Marty Whelan spent five years working with an insurance company before he made the break into radio with the pirate radio station Radio Dublin.

Marty Whelan left this station as part of a wider split, along with most of the DJs to form the Big D in April 1978.

Marty Whelan initially worked on weekend shows, but in a new schedule in September 1978 he got his first daytime slot doing the drivetime show.

In 1979, Marty Whelan joined RTE Radio 2, now known as RTE 2fm.

Marty Whelan spent three years presenting RTE 2fm's Breakfast Show in a role he would return to in 2005.

In 1989, Marty Whelan left RTE radio to join its rival radio station, Century Radio.

Marty Whelan returned to the national broadcaster in the mid-1990s when he presented such shows as Go For It, Off the Record and Millionaire.

Marty Whelan hosted RTE One's summer lottery show Fame and Fortune on Saturday nights for at least ten years.

Marty Whelan spent ten years on television as presenter of the John Player Tops.

In 1997, Marty 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.

Marty Whelan had filled the role of co-host alongside Mary Kennedy since 1998.

Marty Whelan was reported to be "shocked" and "very disappointed".

Marty Whelan 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".

Marty Whelan was on holiday when he discovered another show had been axed.

Marty Whelan returned to the role of filling in for Gerry Ryan when Ryan was on leave.

Since then Marty Whelan has appeared as himself in feature films, at the co-opening of a Dunnes outlet in Galway with retired broadcaster Gay Byrne and filling a cameo role on the soap opera, Fair City.

Whelan presented a two-hour Sunday with Marty Whelan show on RTE lyric fm from Sunday, 1 March 2009 at 14:30, taking over from veteran broadcaster Gay Byrne, but only until that September.

In July 2009, Marty Whelan provided commentary on the Michael Jackson memorial service for RTE Two.

In 1987 and 1988, Marty Whelan co-hosted Eurosong along with Maxi.

Marty Whelan returned to commentate for Ireland at the 2000 Contest, which was held in Sweden and continues to provide commentary for RTE since 2000.

In October 2015, Marty Whelan released his memoirs called That's Life.

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