RTÉ broadcasters Joe Duffy, Marty Morrissey, Caitriona Perry, Ronan Collins, and David David McCullagh were part of a choir that came together to sing and shoot a video for a new charity single in support of Charlie Bird as he battles Motor Neuron Disease.
Former RTÉ correspondent Charlie revealed he has the debilitating illness last October and has announced that he will climb Croagh Patrick in Mayo with a host of household names, friends and family on 2 April to raise awareness and funds for the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association and Pieta House.
RTÉ news reporters Helen Donohue, Samantha Libreri, Dyane Connor, Dimitri O Donnell, Sinéad Crowley, Brian O'Donovan and newscasters Eileen Whelan and Eileen Dunne were also among the choir who gathered in Studio 1 in the RTÉ Radio Centre to record the new track, Shine A Light.
Singer Michael English and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra performed the song, which was released last Friday and has hit No 1 in the Irish iTunes chart.
Galway native Sara Noone penned the lyrics for the song after watching Charlie on the Late Late Show in January.
Having first-hand experience of Motor Neurones Disease, her mother Maureen was diagnosed a few years ago, Sara says she was so touched and inspired by Charlie's openness and honesty that she wrote the song.
Over 100 other climbs are taking place around the country on 2 April with the aim of recognising the huge physical and emotional mountains many people face in daily life.
Commenting on the song, Charlie said: "What an amazing song - it really captures the positive energy and reaching out the hand of friendship that this campaign is all about.
"Thank you to everyone who was part of it and all my friends and colleagues and particularly to Michael and Sara for making it happen."
He added: "I want to encourage everyone to log on to www.climbwithcharlie.ie and donate what they can, buy the song and set up their own fundraisers to climb in their local area, be it climbing a set of stairs or a short walk around the house, around a local park, a walk to the beach. Whatever you are able to do."
Wes Doyle, Stephen O'Halloran, Robert Shortt, Shay Byrne, Cormac Brioscú, Celine Whelan, RTÉ Director-General Dee Forbes, George Lee, Geraldine O'Leary, Bethan Kilfoil, Dympna Moroney, Laura Fletcher, Fiona Mitchell and Christopher McKevitt were also among the choir.
