'It's been beautiful': Charlie Bird's drive to help others shows his grit and grace
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Fuelled by an outpouring of support from around the country, Charlie Bird reached the summit of Croagh Patrick shortly before 12.30pm today.
He was greeted by hundreds of cheering climbers - and the 30-member Clew Bay Pipe Band.
RTÉ presenter Ryan Tubridy told the carnival-mood crowd: "We’ll never forget what we did here together as family and friends, so I want to thank Charlie for bringing us all together like this - it’s been beautiful."
Singer Daniel O’Donnell raised the skies with a volley of songs to mark Bird’s outstanding achievement.
A shout came up from the crowd - Vicky Phelan was on the phone, which was quickly passed to Daniel who had the mic.
"Fair play to you Charlie, you made it to the top - you’re some man," the cancer campaigner said. And once again, the crowd cheered.
Though suffering from motor neurone disease, Bird has raised more than €1.5m for charity through his campaign ‘Climb with Charlie’.
Some 3,000 souls snaked up the Holy Mountain to support his cause.
They had their personal reasons too - climbing for friends and family who are seriously ill, or for loved ones who have passed away. And so it was fitting to hear renowned flautist Matt Molloy’s plaintive The Hilltop.
Bird’s drive to "reach out the hand of friendship" has helped to lift Covid-weary spirits up and down the country.
The climb started from the village of Murrisk, along the recently improved path, Casán Phádraig.
Formed by an enormous upheaval of the earth’s crust 400 million years ago, Croagh Patrick has become a symbol of enduring stability. And hope.
The first walkers started before dawn, a trio of high-spirited women from Westport who were already back in the car park by 9.20am, having witnessed the sunrise on the summit.
Bird and his team – family members and friends - were scheduled to lace up their boots at 9.30am.
The weather gods were benevolent, granting, with the exception of a few light showers, cool, sunny weather.
The view from the mountainside has to be one of the best in the country. Clew Bay, with its ‘basket of eggs’ network of small drumlin islands, is a geographical wonder.
Bird’s campaign has received widespread support from the outset, including his former RTÉ colleagues, some of whom joined today’s climb.
Ryan Tubridy was there along with Fran McNulty and Carol Coleman. Other high-profile people on the climb included Baz Ashmawy, Dermot Bannon, Joanna Donnelly, Barry McGuigan, and Dr Harry Barry.
What started as Bird’s spontaneous bucket-list wish earlier this year, quickly turned into a nationwide fundraiser for Pieta and Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association.
People climbed in over 150 locations around the country today. Corresponding walks took place in the US, Canada, England, Australia and Dubai.
Before entering the tiny church at the summit, Charlie told the crowd via voicebank technology: “Today is not about me, it is about everyone who has a terminal illness. And after the last couple of years that we have all gone through, with Covid, we know that many people have had their own personal mountains to climb every day.”
Bird’s drive to help people in need despite his life-limiting diagnosis points to deep reserves of grit and grace.
The public servant who held bankers and politicians to account for decades is continuing to serve the people.
Like Croagh Patrick itself, Charlie Bird has proven himself to be an enduring rock.