Meet The Team

Bill Whelan has composed music for theatre, film and orchestra. His 1997 Grammy Award winning music Riverdance continues to be performed around the world. To coincide with the 25th anniversary tour, Bill completed a new studio recording of the music from Riverdance, released by Decca/Universal Records, featuring many of the young musicians who play the music live with the show. He also composed a new score for the feature film, Riverdance: The Animated Adventure. His orchestral works include: The Seville Suite, Spirit Of Mayo, The Connemara Suite and Linen & Lace. His musical settings of the literary works of Irish writers include the poetry of WB Yeats, Paul Muldoon, Derek Mahon, Tom McIntyre, Frank McGuinness and Paul Durcan. His music for film includes scores for Dancing At Lughansa starring Meryl Streep, Some Mother’s Son featuring Helen Mirren and Lamb with Liam Neeson. As a producer in the studio, he has worked with U2, Van Morrison, Kate Bush, Richard Harris, The Dubliners, Planxty, Andy Irvine, Davy Spillane and Bulgarian/Irish band, East Wind. In 2022, his memoir The Road To Riverdance was published, described by Gabriel Byrne as “a fascinating and revealing book about the man and his music”. Bill continues his compositional work, recently completing Stolen Hearts, a work for traditional musicians and symphony orchestra performed by the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland at the National Concert Hall in 2024. Bill is a Fellow of the Royal College of Music and holds two honorary doctorates. He is an Honorary Freeman of the City of Limerick, where he was born.

John McColgan is a multi-award-winning producer and director. He was Head of Entertainment (RTÉ Television), Head of Weekend Entertainment (ITV/TVAM) and was awarded a Jacob’s Television Award (1980). He played a key role in the evolution of Riverdance from the original seven-minute dance number to the full stage show. He is founding director of Tyrone Productions whose productions include: Quirke (BBC) Beckett on Film (C4), The Hunger (RTE/ARTE) David Brophy’s Choir Series (RTE) Born to Riverdance (BBC). John served as Chairman of the Abbey Theatre Centenary Committee and directed a critically acclaimed production of Dion Boucicault’s melodrama The Shaughraun. He produced a major theatrical event marking the State visit of Queen Elizabeth II to Ireland (2011). John is the director of Heartbeat Home which premiered in Dublin (2013), toured in North America and China and played a six- week run in London’s West End (2019). He holds an Honorary Doctorate of Law from the National University of Ireland. John is an accomplished photographer and is an Ambassador for Trócaire, one of Ireland’s largest development agencies. His recent work includes the documentary “This is Palestine” and a book of his photography “Looking at the Same Moon”.