Editing Bill Whelan (section)

==Career timeline==
{{prose|section|date=November 2019}}
Whelan's lifetime of musical endeavours include:

* 1970 – Composes main theme for the film ''[[Bloomfield (film)|Bloomfield]]''.<ref name=IrishRock>{{Cite web |url=https://www.irishrock.org/irodb/bands/whelan-bill.html|title=Irish Rock Discography: Bill Whelan |website=irishrock.org}}</ref>
* 1978 – Member of the jazz-rock band Stacc, who release a single on CBS.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishrock.org/irodb/bands/stacc.html|title=Irish Rock Discography: Stacc|website=irishrock.org}}</ref>
* 1979 – Joins [[Planxty]] on keyboards.<ref name=IrishRock/>
* 1980 – Whelan rearranges and produces ''[[What's Another Year]]'' for [[Johnny Logan (singer)|Johnny Logan]] which wins the [[Eurovision Song Contest]] that year.
* 1981 – ''Timedance'', composed by Whelan and [[Dónal Lunny]], and performed by [[Planxty]], features in the interval of Eurovision. ''Timedance'' released as a Planxty record.<ref name=ceolas>{{cite web|work=Ceolas.org |url=http://www.ceolas.org/artists/Planxty.html|title=Ceolas Profile: Planxty|access-date=1 June 2015}}</ref>
* 1983 – Whelan produces "The Refugee" on the [[U2]] album ''[[War (U2 album)|War]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.songfacts.com/facts/u2/the-refugee|title=The Refugee by U2|website=[[Songfacts]]}}</ref>
* 1984 – Film score for ''[[Lamb (1985 film)|Lamb]]'', with [[Van Morrison]]<ref name=autob/>
* 1985 – Produces and performs on [[Stockton's Wing]]'s ''[[Stockton's Wing Live – Take One|Live – Take One]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/4173043-Stocktons-Wing-Live-Take-One |title=Stockton's Wing – Live Take One|publisher=[[Discogs]]}}</ref>
* 1987 – Composes ''The O'Riada Suite''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-irish-traditional-orchestral-fusion-since-1970-has-barrett|title=How the Irish traditional- orchestral fusion since 1970 has contributed to the regeneration and re-popularisation of Irish Traditional Music. |via=[[LinkedIn]]}}</ref>
* 1987 – Whelan produces ''[[Hold Me Now (Johnny Logan song)|Hold Me Now]]'' for Johnny Logan which won the Eurovision Song Contest that year.
* 1989 – Joins board of [[Irish Music Rights Organisation]] (IMRO), on which he serves continuously until 1997.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hotpress.com/music/bill-whelan-bursary-launched-2652531|title=Bill Whelan bursary launched|first=The Hot Press|last=Newsdesk|website=Hotpress}}</ref>
* 1989–1993 – In collaboration with James W. Flannery writes original music for the Yeats International Theatre Festival held at Dublin's Abbey Theatre.<ref name=buzz/> 
* 1990 – Produces and plays keyboards on [[Andy Irvine (musician)|Andy Irvine]]'s album ''[[Rude Awakening (Andy Irvine album)|Rude Awakening]]'', released in early 1991 on the [[Green Linnet Records]] label.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/master/2568008-Andy-Irvine-Rude-Awakening|title=Andy Irvine – Rude Awakening|publisher=[[Discogs]]}}</ref>
* 1992 – Commissioned to compose ''The Seville Suite'', released on the [[Tara Music]] label.<ref name=rebel/>
* 1992 – Produces and plays keyboards on the [[Andy Irvine (musician)|Andy Irvine]]/[[Davy Spillane]] album ''[[EastWind]]'', released on the [[Tara Music]] label.<ref>{{Cite web|publisher=[[Discogs]] |url=https://www.discogs.com/master/725205-Andy-Irvine-Davy-Spillane-East-Wind|title=Andy Irvine & Davy Spillane – East Wind}}</ref>
* 1992 – Produces and performs on [[Stockton's Wing]]'s ''The Crooked Rose'' for the [[Tara Music]] label.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/master/888723-Stocktons-Wing-The-Crooked-Rose|title=Stockton's Wing – The Crooked Rose|publisher=[[Discogs]]}}</ref>
* 1993 – Composes the orchestral work ''The Spirit of Mayo''.<ref name=rareroad/>
* 1994 – Composes ''[[Riverdance]]'' for interval segment of the Eurovision Song Contest. The segment is an unprecedented success and spins off into the long-running stage show.<ref name="ESC1994">{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211005200810/https://eurovision.tv/event/dublin-1994 |archive-date=5 October 2021 |url-status=live|title=Eurovision Song Contest{{snd}}Dublin 1994 |url=https://eurovision.tv/event/dublin-1994 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union |access-date=25 October 2021 }}</ref>
* 1995 – Invited to serve on the Government Task Force set up by Minister [[Michael D. Higgins]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000039394|title=The PIANO report of the review group PIANO to the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, Mr. Michael D. Higgins, T.D. January 1996 on the provision and Institutional arrangements now for orchestras and ensembles|date=23 October 1996|publisher=[Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=13 February 1996|website=[[Oireachtas.ie]] |url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1996-02-13/78|title=Written Answers. – Task Forces and Review Groups. – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Tuesday, 13 Feb 1996 – Houses of the Oireachtas}}</ref>
* 1996 – Composes original music for [[Jim Sheridan]]/[[Terry George]]'s film ''[[Some Mother's Son]]''.
* 1997 – Receives a [[Grammy Award]] for Best Musical Show Album for ''Riverdance''.<ref name="RTÉMeteor">{{cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/arts/2006/0201/whelanb.html|title=Meteor Industry Award for Bill Whelan |publisher=[[RTÉ]]|date=1 February 2006|access-date=8 February 2010}}</ref>
* 2000 – ''Riverdance'' opens on Broadway.<ref>{{cite web|last=Dunning|first=Jennifer |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/03/17/movies/dance-review-with-fast-feet-and-fiddles-an-irish-perennial-returns.html|title=DANCE REVIEW; With Fast Feet and Fiddles, An Irish Perennial Returns|date=17 March 2000 |access-date=9 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Broadway Opening Night 2000|access-date=1 June 2015 |url=http://riverdance.com/blog/2000/03/17/broadway-opening-night-2000/|date=17 March 2000|work=Riverdance.com }}</ref>
* 2001 – Receives Lifetime Achievement Award from IMRO ([[Irish Music Rights Organisation]])<ref name=IMRO>{{cite web |url=https://imro.ie/press-releases/6890/ |title=Bill Whelan and Brendan Graham first inductees to new IMRO Academy |date=6 April 2011 |website=[[IMRO.ie]]}}</ref>
* 2006 – Receives Lifetime Achievement Award at the [[Meteor Music Awards]].<ref name="RTÉMeteor" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.meteor.ie/about/music_awards/mima_winners/ |archive-date=2009-02-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090201113547/http://www.meteor.ie/about/music_awards/mima_winners/ |url-status=dead|title=Meteor Ireland Music Awards Past Winners |publisher=[[Meteor (mobile network)|Meteor]] |accessdate=14 March 2009 |date=1 February 2009}}</ref>
* 2008 – Releases his [[Celtic music|Celtic]] orchestral album ''The Connemara Suite'' on the [[Tara Music]] label.<ref name=rareroad/>
* 2010 – Joins the board of the National Music Education Programme.<ref>{{Cite web |date=11 May 2010 |url=https://www.iayo.ie/news/director-of-national-music-education-programme-announced/|title=Director of National Music Education Programme Announced}}</ref>
* 2011 – Inaugural inductee into IMRO Academy<ref name=IMRO/>
* 2022 – Whelan's autobiography ''The Road To Riverdance'' is published.<ref name=autob>{{Cite web|first=John |last=Meagher |title=Composer Bill Whelan reveals Riverdance rows and the joy of working with Kate Bush |url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/composer-bill-whelan-reveals-riverdance-rows-and-the-joy-of-working-with-kate-bush-42083228.html |website=[[Irish Independent]] |date=22 October 2022}}</ref>