Sean Whelan (journalist)

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Sean Whelan
EducationUniversity College Dublin,
National Institute for Higher Education
OccupationJournalist
Notable creditRTÉ News

Sean Whelan is an Irish journalist with RTÉ, Ireland's national radio and television station, where he has been the London correspondent for RTÉ News since April 2026, having previously held the position from 2019 to 2022.[1] He previously was RTÉ's Washington correspondent, Europe editor and Economics correspondent.[2][3]

Career

He graduated from University College Dublin with a degree in History and Politics.[4] He then obtained a postgraduate in journalism from the National Institute for Higher Education and in accounting and finance from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.[5][6]

Whelan began his career in journalism in the mid-1980s as a freelance feature writer with Magill and the Irish Independent, before working as a reporter in London on the business newspaper, Marketing. He moved back to Ireland in the early 1990s and worked as a business journalist at The Sunday Tribune.[7]

He joined RTÉ in 1991 at the same time as Mark Little, Rachael English and Paul Reynolds.[8] Whelan worked in a number of areas, including the foreign desk, serving as the deputy foreign editor.[9] He has reported from wars in Bosnia and Kosovo and on the return of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China.[4]

Whelan was based in Brussels from 1999.[9] In 2001, he became Europe Correspondent,[10] and was appointed Europe Editor in 2003.[9] After the resignation of George Lee as Economics Editor to begin a career in politics, Whelan became Economics Correspondent.[11]

In March 2019, it was announced that he would succeed Fiona Mitchell as the London correspondent for RTÉ News.[12]

On 21 January 2022, it was announced by RTÉ that Whelan would succeed Brian O'Donovan as the new Washington correspondent from February 2022.[13]

On 28 April 2026, it was announced that he would return as the London correspondent for RTÉ News, succeeding Tommy Meskill.[6][14]

References

  1. "Sean Whelan named as RTÉ's new London Correspondent". RTÉ News. 28 April 2026. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  2. Kelly, Aoife (28 March 2019). "Sean Whelan announced as new RTÉ News London Correspondent". Irish Independent. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  3. "RTÉ News announces Sean Whelan as new Washington Correspondent". RTÉ. 21 January 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  4. "Sean Whelan New RTÉ Economics Correspondent". IFTN. 22 October 2009. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
  5. "Covering Brussels – the Europe correspondent's tale" (PDF). Dublin City University. 16 January 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 10 December 2009.
  6. "RTÉ NEWS ANNOUNCES SEAN WHELAN AS NEW LONDON CORRESPONDENT". RTÉ.ie. 28 April 2026. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  7. "Sean Whelan replaces Offaly woman as RTÉ London Correspondent". Offaly Express. 28 March 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  8. "RTÉ Guide: Rachael English Interview". RTÉ Guide. 3 March 2009. Archived from the original on 2 March 2010. Retrieved 6 June 2009.
  9. "Sean Whelan appointed RTÉ Economics Correspondent". Inside Ireland.ie. 21 October 2009. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
  10. "RTÉ announce appointments". The Irish Times. 8 August 2001. Retrieved 10 December 2009.
  11. Doyle, Kevin (21 October 2009). "Whelan to fill Lee's shoes in RTÉ rejig". Evening Herald. Archived from the original on 23 October 2009. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
  12. Slattery, Laura (28 March 2019). "RTÉ makes Sean Whelan its next London correspondent". The Irish Times. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  13. "RTÉ News reveal Sean Whelan as new Washington Correspondent". Independent.ie. 21 January 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
  14. Hickey, Emma (28 April 2026). "RTÉ's Sean Whelan is going back to London". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 28 April 2026.