Charlie Bird has made his name as a front-of-camera reporter covering the news as it happens, from wherever it happens. During his career as a news journalist he reported on the upheavals of the Haughey/FitzGerald years: Charlie Haughey even once said jokingly that he was his favourite reporter. He also covered the formation of the PDs; Labour’s Spring tide in 1992; and the governments of Albert Reynolds, John Bruton and Bertie Ahern.

Charlie Bird was RTÉ's contact with the IRA and now for the first time he reveals the background to his meetings with leading republicans in the lead-up to the 1994 and 1997 ceasefire declarations.

He also recalls the investigation which exposed wrong-doing at National Irish Bank and the resulting stress of being involved in Ireland’s longest libel case. Other major stories during his RTÉ career have included the Stardust tragedy, Mary’s Robinson’s term as Irish President and the Colombia Three.

He also gives an insight into his foreign travels including the trial of Father Niall O’Brien in the Philippines, the release of Brian Keenan, meeting Nelson Mandela when he voted in the first post-apartheid elections in South Africa, and the Asian tsunami in 2004.

Today Charlie is one of the best-known faces on Irish TV. In telling his story, however, he goes beyond the news agenda to tell his own personal story, his family background and Dublin childhood as well as the difficulties that arose when he became part of the media story himself.

Charlie Bird is RTÉ’s chief news correspondent. Kevin Rafter is a writer and broadcaster.