President Michael D Higgins has led tributes following the death of former RTÉ journalist Charlie Bird, who died at the age of 74 following a long battle with motor neurone disease.
Mr Bird covered some of the biggest stories, nationally and internationally across a 40-year career, including the Stardust Fire and the 9/11 US terrorist attacks.
In recent years, Mr Bird became known for his tireless work with the motor neurone disease community following his own diagnosis in October 2021.
President Higgins said Mr Bird was "one of the outstanding journalists of his generation" dedicated to the pursuit of truth.
"It is with the deepest sadness that all of the Irish people, and particularly all of those who were his allies in campaigning for so many significant causes, will have learnt of the death of Charlie Bird.
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"An exceptionally talented broadcaster, Charlie was a truly remarkable man driven by a deep sense of social justice in the most positive sense," said President Higgins.
Speaking in Boston, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that Mr Bird was a "genuinely special person".
"The country is going to mourn his loss. I really want to extend my condolences to his wife, family and friends," he added.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin said he was "deeply saddened" to learn of Mr Bird's passing. He said the former journalist "inspired so many with the courage, generosity of spirit and dignity he faced his battle with motor neurone disease".
"As a journalist and broadcaster for RTÉ, Charlie had few peers. Personable and engaging, Charlie had the public interest at heart, representing public service broadcasting at its very best."
"His message of generosity, friendship, and simply looking out for each other will long be remembered."
Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan said he was "so sorry to hear of the death of Charlie. He was the most intrepid of reporters and was so brave in facing his illness. May he rest in peace".
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said: "His dedication to pursuing news stories, his involvement with the people affected by those stories, his good humour and his impressive bravery in the face of illness, is what we will remember most about Charlie Bird. Suaimhneas sioraí dá Anam."
Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern praised Mr Bird for never giving up after his motor neurone disease diagnosis.
The former Fianna Fáil leader was interviewed a number of times by Mr Bird throughout both their lengthy careers.
Mr Ahern told RTÉ's Six One News: "I’ve known Charlie for 40 years, he was always a person of energy, commitment, drive, compassion."
The CEO of the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association (IMNDA) praised Mr Bird's impact on helping others who suffer from the disease through his charity work.
In April 2022, Mr Bird made a personal pilgrimage up Croagh Patrick as part of the 'Climb with Charlie' campaign, raising millions for the IMNDA and Pieta House.
Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, IMNDA CEO Lillian McGovern said the money was of "huge significance" to the charity and told how it improved its resources.
"We managed to achieve in one year what would take us five years to raise money for," she added.
The voice banking machine that Mr Bird used after losing his voice is now funded by IMNDA and made available to anyone who wants it.
"Charlie made it more acceptable for people who do that because that's how he communicated and we almost took it as a norm for him - it was ok for him to use his voice banking machine.
"We employed another nurse in the country, we invested money in research. We worked with Charlie as to where the money went and people with MND truly, truly appreciate that practical help," she said.
Ms McGovern said what Mr Bird achieved was "really quite remarkable".
She said: "We knew for a long time that Charlie was going down and we would be facing this day.
"Yet when you hear the news, it still has a very, very strong impact on you.
"For us, Charlie really was the dog with the bone and that ability to connect with people, and when you put both those things together, what he achieved was really quite remarkable and it really could only be done by Charlie Bird quite honestly."
Neurologist Professor Orla Hardiman diagnosed Mr Bird with motor neurone disease.
Speaking to RTÉ's Prime Time, she said: "It was a real privilege to be involved in his care and to work with Charlie and with Claire his wife."
She said that Mr Bird went public with his diagnosis a week after he received it.
Prof Hardiman said it was "enormously courageous" of him to do so and had a big impact on raising awareness of the motor neurone disease.
Charlie Bird never forgot Stardust survivors
The Stardust survivor and campaigner Antoinette Keegan described Mr Bird as a "very special friend" who never forgot any of the Stardust survivors and their families.
"He was one of the first people to contact me after my mother died in 2020," she said.
Ms Keegan said Charlie had always empathised with the Stardust families and how they were treated after the fire in 1981 that left 48 young people dead.
"He was very close to my family and myself," she said.
RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst said after 40 years working at the broadcaster, Mr Bird had left a "unique legacy".
"He was a leader in Irish journalism, dedicated, ferocious in his pursuit of the truth and trusted by the public. He was a fearless reporter, breaking and covering so many key stories over many years...."
Mr Bakhurst said everyone was "deeply saddened" by the news of Mr Bird's death, adding that he was a "supportive colleague" and "gifted communicator."
"His campaigning work, especially since his illness diagnosis has gone on to help so many others, as was Charlie's selfless way.
Our thoughts are with his wife and our colleague Claire, his children, grandchildren and many friends."
RTÉ's Environment Correspondent George Lee said his former colleague was relentless but that he had a "disarming ordinariness".
"He used to say, 'I'm just a working journalist'", he said, "but he was a lot more than that."
"Charlie would wear out his shoes about every two months. Mine would last for years, but Charlie never sat still."
Former RTÉ broadcaster Seán O'Rourke paid tribute to Mr Bird on RTÉ's News at One. He said his former colleague "represented the very best of humanity."
"He never lost his sense of wonderment; you wouldn't pull the wool over his eyes too quickly."
"I had this sense that once Charlie looked at you intently, with that kind of honesty and sincerity, you would find it very hard not to answer the question because there was that kind of deft of humanity about him..."
Mr O'Rourke paid tribute to Mr Bird's family, who "scaffolded" him during his later years.
