Charlie Bird
Encyclopedia
Charles "Charlie" Bird is an Irish
journalist
and broadcaster
. He was Chief News Correspondent with RTÉ News and Current Affairs until January 2009. He took up the role of Washington Correspondent, but prematurely returned to his earlier post in Ireland in June 2010.
, Dublin in 1949. He was educated at Sandymount High School
.
In the late 1960s, Bird took an active interest in far left politics, being a member of Young Socialists
. In this role, along with Tariq Ali
of the International Marxist Group, he attended the funeral of Peter Graham of Saor Éire (1967-1975)
who was assassinated on 25 October 1971 in an internecine dispute. A photograph of the funeral shows Ali and Bird giving a clenched fist salute at the grave. Charlie Bird was recruited into RTÉ by Eoghan Harris
in the mid 1970s.
http://dublinopinion.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/charlie-bird-clenched-fist-520-x-284.jpg
In the early 1970s he joined Official Sinn Féin and in 1973 was their director of elections in Dublin South Central.
and the Provisional IRA. He witnessed at first hand the ceasefires and the subsequent twists and turns of the peace process. In 1998, Bird and his colleague George Lee broke the story about tax evasion at National Irish Bank
.
On the international front, Bird reported on both Gulf Wars and was in Syria
for the release of Brian Keenan.
He was awarded an honorary doctorate from University College Dublin
in 2002.
Bird was attacked during the Dublin Riots
of 25 February 2006, suffering a fractured cheekbone, soft tissue damage and bruising. He later spoke of his personal experience - and of the way the attackers knew who he was and called him an "Orange Bastard" - on RTÉ News broadcasts later that evening. His attack was witnessed by Sunday Independent journalist Daniel McConnell who reported on the event the next day. Bird's appearance on the six o'clock news was criticised by the Sunday Times in its edition the following day, as it felt Bird makes himself the story. In 2008, a man pleaded guilty to violent disorder and assaulting Bird.
He presented the Charlie Bird Explores
series in 2006, 2007 and 2008. In this collection of documentary programmes, he visited the Amazon
, the Ganges, and the Arctic.
On 7 October 2008 it was announced he was to take up the post of RTÉ News and Current Affairs Washington correspondent. His first report as Washington correspondent was on RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock
about US Airways Flight 1549
. RTÉ received 30 complaints after he "failed to wear a suit and tie" on RTÉ News: Six One
during coverage of the death of Ted Kennedy
.
Bird provided coverage from the 2010 Haiti earthquake
in January 2010. A two-part documentary about his first year in the United States
was broadcast later that month on RTÉ One
. In it he spoke of his "madness" in moving to the country and his lack of contacts and recognition in Washington DC. At the end of the second programme, he announced he would vacate his Washington post. Early viewing figures suggested that the two programmes got viewing averages of 473,000 and 563,000 people. RTÉ cited Bird's “popularity” when asked about the large audience.
Bird returned to Ireland to take up his previous job of Chief News Correspondent with RTÉ in June 2010. He covered a high profile leadership challenge of Enda Kenny
on his return. The Washington role was filled by Richard Downes
. During August 2010, Bird presented The Marian Finucane Show
.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and broadcaster
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
. He was Chief News Correspondent with RTÉ News and Current Affairs until January 2009. He took up the role of Washington Correspondent, but prematurely returned to his earlier post in Ireland in June 2010.
Early life
Bird was born in SandymountSandymount
Sandymount is a coastal seaside suburb in Dublin 4 on the Southside of Dublin in Ireland. It is in the Dublin South East Dáil constituency and the East Pembroke Ward. It was once part of Pembroke Township, which took its name from the fact that this area was part of the estate of the Earl of...
, Dublin in 1949. He was educated at Sandymount High School
Sandymount High School
Sandymount High School was a coeducational secondary school on Herbert Road, Sandymount, Dublin 4. Founded in 1947, it was initially controversial because, as a non-denominational school, it wasn't owned by a church but by the Cannon family, who also provided the two headmasters the school had:...
.
In the late 1960s, Bird took an active interest in far left politics, being a member of Young Socialists
Young Socialists
Young Socialists has been the name of more than one group:* Young Socialists * Young Socialists * Young Socialists * Young Socialists * Young Socialists * Young Socialists...
. In this role, along with Tariq Ali
Tariq Ali
Tariq Ali , , is a British Pakistani military historian, novelist, journalist, filmmaker, public intellectual, political campaigner, activist, and commentator...
of the International Marxist Group, he attended the funeral of Peter Graham of Saor Éire (1967-1975)
Saor Éire (1967-1975)
Saor Éire was an armed, radical Irish Republican organisation composed of Trotskyists and ex-IRA members. It took its name from a similar organisation of the 1930s....
who was assassinated on 25 October 1971 in an internecine dispute. A photograph of the funeral shows Ali and Bird giving a clenched fist salute at the grave. Charlie Bird was recruited into RTÉ by Eoghan Harris
Eoghan Harris
Eoghan Harris is an Irish journalist, fiction writer, director, columnist and politician. He currently writes for the Sunday Independent. He was a member of Seanad Éireann from 2007–11, having been nominated by the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern....
in the mid 1970s.
http://dublinopinion.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/charlie-bird-clenched-fist-520-x-284.jpg
In the early 1970s he joined Official Sinn Féin and in 1973 was their director of elections in Dublin South Central.
Career
For many years in the 1990s, Bird was the only point of contact between RTÉRaidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
and the Provisional IRA. He witnessed at first hand the ceasefires and the subsequent twists and turns of the peace process. In 1998, Bird and his colleague George Lee broke the story about tax evasion at National Irish Bank
National Irish Bank
National Irish Bank is a commercial bank in Ireland, one of the traditional Big Four. In December 2004 Danske Bank agreed to purchase National Irish Bank from the National Australia Bank for GB£967m ....
.
On the international front, Bird reported on both Gulf Wars and was in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
for the release of Brian Keenan.
He was awarded an honorary doctorate from University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
in 2002.
Bird was attacked during the Dublin Riots
2006 Dublin riots
The 2006 Dublin riots were a series of riots which occurred in Dublin on 25 February 2006, precipitated by a proposed controversial march down O'Connell Street of a unionist demonstration. The disturbances began when members of An Garda Síochána attempted to disperse a group of...
of 25 February 2006, suffering a fractured cheekbone, soft tissue damage and bruising. He later spoke of his personal experience - and of the way the attackers knew who he was and called him an "Orange Bastard" - on RTÉ News broadcasts later that evening. His attack was witnessed by Sunday Independent journalist Daniel McConnell who reported on the event the next day. Bird's appearance on the six o'clock news was criticised by the Sunday Times in its edition the following day, as it felt Bird makes himself the story. In 2008, a man pleaded guilty to violent disorder and assaulting Bird.
He presented the Charlie Bird Explores
Charlie Bird Explores
Charlie Bird Explores is the title of a series of documentary films shot by RTÉ News and Current Affairs chief news correspondent Charlie Bird, in which the reporter sets off to explore some of the most beautiful and remote places in the far corners of the planet Earth and moans about having to do so...
series in 2006, 2007 and 2008. In this collection of documentary programmes, he visited the Amazon
Amazon River
The Amazon of South America is the second longest river in the world and by far the largest by waterflow with an average discharge greater than the next seven largest rivers combined...
, the Ganges, and the Arctic.
On 7 October 2008 it was announced he was to take up the post of RTÉ News and Current Affairs Washington correspondent. His first report as Washington correspondent was on RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock
RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock
RTÉ News: Nine O'Clock is the flagship evening news programme for Irish television channel RTÉ One. It is presented by Anne Doyle, and deputised by Eileen Dunne. It is the final comprehensive news programme of the day on RTÉ One...
about US Airways Flight 1549
US Airways Flight 1549
US Airways Flight 1549 was US Airways' scheduled domestic commercial passenger flight from LaGuardia Airport in New York City to Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, Charlotte, North Carolina...
. RTÉ received 30 complaints after he "failed to wear a suit and tie" on RTÉ News: Six One
RTÉ News: Six One
RTÉ News: Six One is the evening news programme broadcast each night on Irish television channel RTÉ One...
during coverage of the death of Ted Kennedy
Ted Kennedy
Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. Serving almost 47 years, he was the second most senior member of the Senate when he died and is the fourth-longest-serving senator in United States history...
.
Bird provided coverage from the 2010 Haiti earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
in January 2010. A two-part documentary about his first year in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
was broadcast later that month on RTÉ One
RTÉ One
RTÉ One is the flagship television channel of Raidió Teilifís Éireann , and it is the most popular and most watched television channel in Ireland. It was launched as Telefís Éireann on 31 December 1961, it was renamed RTÉ Television in 1966, and it was renamed as RTÉ One upon the launch of RTÉ...
. In it he spoke of his "madness" in moving to the country and his lack of contacts and recognition in Washington DC. At the end of the second programme, he announced he would vacate his Washington post. Early viewing figures suggested that the two programmes got viewing averages of 473,000 and 563,000 people. RTÉ cited Bird's “popularity” when asked about the large audience.
Bird returned to Ireland to take up his previous job of Chief News Correspondent with RTÉ in June 2010. He covered a high profile leadership challenge of Enda Kenny
Enda Kenny
Enda Kenny is an Irish Fine Gael politician, and has been the Taoiseach since 2011. He has led Fine Gael since 2002. He served as Minister for Tourism and Trade from 1994 to 1997. He is also a two-term Vice President of the European People's Party.Kenny has been a Teachta Dála for Mayo since...
on his return. The Washington role was filled by Richard Downes
Richard Downes
Richard Downes is an Irish broadcaster and journalist. He has worked for the Press Association, Reuters, the Financial Times and the BBC. He has previously presented Morning Ireland on RTÉ Radio 1. He succeeded Charlie Bird as Washington Correspondent for RTÉ News in 2010.- Early and personal life...
. During August 2010, Bird presented The Marian Finucane Show
The Marian Finucane Show
The Marian Finucane Show is an Irish radio programme, presented by Marian Finucane. It airs Saturday - Sunday at 11:00 to 13:00. It is the highest-rating weekend radio show in Ireland....
.