Bill Whelan Rejects Flatley’s Riverdance Claims

Bill Whelan, composer of Riverdance, has rejected suggestions that the multi-million dollar earning show was really Michael Flatley’s creation.

“They say success has many fathers,” the Limerick musician told Hot Press in an exclusive interview, “and failure is an orphan. Well, sometimes fathers appear that surprise me."

In a recent interview on television, Michael Flatley – who was part of the original Riverdance cast – made the claim that "Riverdance will always be me." It is a view that Whelan rejects in no uncertain terms.

“I’m sorry,” he says, “Riverdance will always be what it was when it was created as a piece of music, like a ballet – but in Irish terms. That’s what it was. On the original tickets for the show at The Point, it said Bill Whelan’s Riverdance.”

He also discusses the firing of the great Chicago dancer from the show. “”I thought Moya Doherty made absolutely the right decision,” he said. “That’s where she really was a good producer.”

But he is also generous in his praise of Flatley. “He’s fucking great,” he says.”If he hadn’t come out and danced as he did on Riverdance, it wouldn’t have been the same. To give him his due, he was an essential part of what happened at Riverdance."

Whelan also takes strong issue with the Riverdance organisation and the gradual downgrading of his contribution.

“For instance,” he says, “a recent statement on the Riverdance website – the organisation that I had given the name to; it was my name – it says, “Riverdance was created by Moya Doherty with music by Bill Whelan, choreographed by…’ This is issued by the office. Now, that’s not a proper reflection of what went on. And those kind of things annoy me. And understandably so.”

Whelan sets out the fascinating story of how Riverdance took shape, giving a detailed insider account of the making of a Broadway smash hit for the first time.

In what is a wide-ranging, in depth and hugely informative interview, he also deals with criticisms of Limerick City of Culture – of which he is a board member.

“I think there was a bit of Limerick bashing in the coverage,” he insists. “The narrative in the media was that the original artistic director, who resigned, had stood behind the artists in Limerick against the sort of mindless structure that was in place. That was what was being said. And that was simply not the case.”

Whelan also talks about his work with artists like Kate Bush, Elmer Bernstein, U2 and Planxty; he nominates the most important Irish musicians and songwriters of the past 50 years; he introduces his new flute concerto, written for James Galway, entitled Linen and Lace; and he talks passionately about the impact of the internet on music.

For the full, controversial interview, read the current issue of Hot Press, with Paul Weller on the front.