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Broadcaster Charlie Bird Has Died

Tuesday, 12 March 2024 11:01

The veteran broadcaster had been living with MND since 2021.

Veteran broadcaster Charlie Bird has died.

He had been living with Motor Neurone Disease since 2021 and spoke openly about his diagnosis.

The former head of Radio 1 and Mount Temple's Tom McGuire says what you see is what you got from Charlie Bird:

He was born in Dublin in 1949, and was recruited into RTE in the 70s.

Among the first major events of his career there was the Stardust fire:

Charlie also reported on events like the kidnapping of supermarket executive Don Tidey:

President Michael D Higgins has described him as a truly remarkable man. 

The president says it was a great honour to welcome Charlie, his wife Claire, and their dog Tiger to Áras an Uachtaráin in June 2022, and his legacy will never be forgotten.

The 74-year-old was the only point of contact between the Provisional IRA and the RTE Newsroom for years.

He had a tape and statement hand delivered to him when the cease fire was called in 1994:

In 2006, Charlie was assaulted while covering a Love Ulster parade in Dublin City - a day he was supposed to have off:

And two years after that he was appointed RTE’s Washington Correspondent, a role he bowed out of early because of homesickness:

He retired from the national broadcaster in 2012. 

Charlie said he was having problems with his voice, and was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in 2021. 

Here he is speaking summer 2022:

He then announced Climb With Charlie, up Croagh Patrick for charity:

His friend and former colleague Joe Duffy says there was and never will be anyone like him:

Broadcaster Pat Kenny is among those paying tribute to his former colleague:

His friend and former colleague George Lee says Charlie fought his illness with dignity:

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