Time and Tide

A poignant and introspective memoir from Irish journalist and broadcaster Charlie Bird.

In 2021, Charlie Bird was diagnosed with motor neurone disease – a man whose voice was so synonymous with his career faced losing it completely. Yet knowing he had just a short time left with family and friends, what emerged was a great sense of resilience and motivation to take advantage of every moment.

Here, Charlie reflects on his life and phenomenal broadcast career through the lense of his diagnosis, as he ponders the big questions and takes stock of the small moments that we so often overlook.

Written over the course of 2022 as his health deteriorated, with the help of long-time friend and fellow journalist Ray Burke, this is a candid and unforgettable story about the triumph of the human spirit and, ultimately, what it means to be alive.

Charlie Bird is one of Ireland’s most well-known broadcasters and journalists, boasting a stellar 38-year career until his retirement in 2012. In 2021, he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease.