Live Report: Bill Whelan receives a magical birthday tribute from the National Symphony Orchestra

Limerick native William “Bill” Whelan is not only one of Ireland’s most prolific composers, but a defining figure in how the nation’s traditional and orchestral music is heard at home and abroad. He's perhaps best known for composing Riverdance, which was originally created for the 1994 Eurovision interval, introducing a global audience to Ireland's dance and musical tradition. It went down a storm.

Released shortly afterwards due to overwhelming demand, the single dominated the Irish charts for months and remains the second-best selling single in Irish history.

The seven minute piece subsequently became the basis for a full, highly ambitious musical, which has since clocked in as one of the greatest successes in recent theatrical history. It has been performed over sixteen-thousand times across fifty-one countries and has earned Whelan a Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album.

Beyond that legacy, Whelan has also produced records for world renowned artists like U2, Van Morrison, Kate Bush, The Dubliners and Richard Harris. In short, he is one of Ireland's most eminent and celebrated musicians.

NSOI: Bill Whelan at 75 at The National Concert Hall on November 21st, 2025. Copyright Grace Swartout/ hotpress.com

His seventy-fifth birthday is the occasion for a special concert at the National Concert Hall. The celebrations are opened by host Paul Herriott, who welcomes Whelan to the stage for a warm conversation reflecting on his career, and the stories behind the works that are about to be performed by the National Symphony Orchestra.

In front of the National Symphony Orchestra, there are four traditional instrumentalists on stage. Fiddle player Zoë Conway; vocalist, harp and whistle player Séamus Ó Flatharta; Tara Howley on the uilleann pipes; and accordion player Damien Mullane.

NSOI: Bill Whelan at 75 at The National Concert Hall on November 21st, 2025. Copyright Grace Swartout/ hotpress.com

The first piece to be performed is the main title from Dancing at Lughnasa, Whelan’s score for the 1998 film based on Brian Friel’s acclaimed play. It is a calm introduction to Whelan's composing style. It starts off with gentle brass instrumentation underlined by a soft, bright string section. Towards the end, the piece swells up dramatically to a cinematic, goosebumps-inducing climax.

Introduced by the fast-paced sound of tin whistles, conjured up by Séamus Ó Flatharta and Tara Howley, the orchestra gears up for 'Caraçena', a piece from Whelan's first orchestral composition The Seville Suite. Whelan himself steps to the piano for this piece, as he gently weaves light notes into the celtic sounds of fiddles, uilleann pipes and bodhrán hits, in a magical interplay of traditional and symphonic sounds.

The first half closes with 'An Chistin' from The Connemara Suite. It is the only piece of the night to feature singing, and thanks to Séamus Ó Flatharta's powerful voice, it makes for a stand-out moment. The angelic Irish vocals are are met with high-energy fiddle melodies led by Zoë Conway, while dancer Colin Dunne underlines them with his fine dancing footwork.

NSOI: Bill Whelan at 75 at The National Concert Hall on November 21st, 2025. Copyright Grace Swartout/ hotpress.com

After a short interval, the orchestra prepares to perform 'Bowed, Batoned and Blown', a new piece by Bill Whelan, written for the National Symphony Orchestra, which is receiving its world premiere tonight. Whelan explains that the work traces the evolution of music, beginning with its most stripped-back form, banging and drumming, before moving through the strings and woodwinds. He describes it as a “tour of the desks,” with the instrumentation travelling around the orchestra and spotlighting different instruments through solo passages, before all sections come together in a powerful, final crescendo.

NSOI: Bill Whelan at 75 at The National Concert Hall on November 21st, 2025. Copyright Grace Swartout/ hotpress.com

The grand finale is a beautiful rendition of the legendary Riverdance Symphonic Suite. The piece already sounds impressive by itself with its traditional Irish instrumentations, but seeing it played in person is a positively soul-stirring experience. The orchestra performs every measure with utmost passion and dedication. Every note played weaves itself seamlessly into the sea of harmonies cascading towards the audience.  Not even the minutes-long standing ovation could ever do such sonic excellence justice.

The evening was a excellent showcase of how remarkable Bill Whelan's career has been, and judging by his new piece, we can expect more from this Irish music powerhouse.