in 2010. But he stresses there was nothing foreordained about the career that started in the library of The Irish Times in 1971.
Though he had a standard religious upbringing – “I was reared a Catholic, even though my grandfather was a Protestant” – he is no longer a practising Christian. He was married to Claire in 2016 in a humanist ceremony, but even this seems too restrictive a category for his optimistic outlook. “I wouldn’t call myself even a humanist,” he says. “I call myself a people person. I believe in people, in doing good for people, that’s what I’ve tried to do with my life.
It might sound morbid, but Bird seems almost uplifted by this thought. At other times, however, he unashamedly breaks down in tears. He tells me he wanted to tweet the Latin phrase noli timere, meaning “don’t be afraid”, the last words texted to my mother by my late father,. “I had it written and then I went no, it’s unfair, that’s their story,” he says, suddenly tearing up.
That's a very sad thing to think about
charliebird49 go for it... I hope I never know but I think if it were me, my own voice would be more soothing and reassuring, reminding me I once had one 💚
Do it Charlie.
Do whatever you can to make life easy. Best of good luck Charlie🍀
This is so sad 🥺