WordPress yearly archives for current category

This has really been driving me mad for a while now, so I’m hoping someone can help. I’m trying to use wp_get_archives() to display a list of links to yearly archives that show posts within the current category.

Importantly, I’m trying to do this without a plugin and just use the functions file or even a WP_Query loop.

Example

Imagine I have the following categories all filled with posts:

Exhibitions (parent)
–Current (child)
–Past (child)

Artworks (parent)
–Recent (child)
–Featured (child)
–Old (child)

What I’m trying to do is essentially this:

/* Get current Cat ID */
function getCurrentCatID() {
    global $wp_query;
    if(is_category() || is_single()){
        $cat_ID = get_query_var('cat');
    }
    return $cat_ID;
}

$currentCat = getCurrentCatID();

wp_get_archives('type=yearly&cat=$currentCat'); // But, you can't filter this by category it seems

So, if I view the ‘Exhibitions’ category (which uses category.php), wp_get_archives() would show links for 2012, 2011, 2010 etc.

When I click 2011, I would see posts that are in the category ‘Exhibitions’ AND it’s child categories (also important).

I’ve found this post which might hold the answer: Exclude Category From wp_get_archives?

But I don’t know how I would use the current category being viewed within filters mentioned in the post nor how I would add multiple categories to it (i.e. the parent category plus it’s children).

Any help massively appreciated.

Osu