Marty Whelan is an Irish broadcasting legend. He currently hosts Marty In The Morning on lyric fm, as well as Winning Streak on RTÉ 1, and continues to anchor RTÉ's Eurovision Song Contest coverage. He's picked his favourite Christmas songs for a new compilation of festive favourites entitled Marty Recommends… Christmas (Universal), released today on CD, vinyl and for download.
Film:
Heartburn, Starring Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson, which is a story of a marriage falling apart written by Nora Ephron who was married to Carl Bernstein of All The Presidents Men fame… Streep and Nicholson are just brilliant together on film.
Music:
Whenever I get the chance I love to listen to Frank Sinatra which funnily enough we have not 1 but 2 tracks by him on Marty Recommends… Christmas, keenly priced and must for the season that’s in it!
Book:
Let the Trumpet Sound, which is a a biography of Marty Luther King Junior by Stephen B. Oates. I read this when I was in secondary school and Martin Luther King Junior has been my hero ever since.
Play:
Death of A Salesman, which I have been to see a number of times - even to the point of buying the DVD with Dustin Hoffman.
TV:
Because of my interest in American politics, I got sucked into Kevin Spacey and House Of Cards and there really is no way back. Now, with the new incumbent in the White House, House Of Cards suddenly comes to life.
Gig:
I'm off to see Rod Stewart tonight, who funnily enough features on the album Marty Recommends…Christmas. Earlier this year I went to see Ennio Morricone at the 3 Arena which was astonishing. The music is beautiful, and I continue to be amazed at this little man who is 88 years of age, who carries out his handwritten scores to the podium where he conducts, and he doesn’t leave the stage for 2 hours. Which is amazing.
Art:
An Irishman called John Kirwan - he has an ability to paint the sky like no one else I know. (Pictured: Dublin Bay from Sutton, by John Kirwan)
Tech:
Whatsapp - I live by this for communications with my family and work, it’s a great way to keep in touch.
The Next Big Thing (can be a person or a thing, anything you fancy)
Marty Recommends… Christmas!
