Jarlath "Cha" Whelan (7 September 1939 – 22 March 1996) was an Irish hurler who played as a full-back for the Kilkenny and London senior teams.Born in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, Whelan first played hurling without success during his school days. Although never playing minor hurling at inter-county level, he arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of twenty-one when he made his senior debut in the 1960-61 National Hurling League.