Sean O'Rourke: Charlie Bird was a great journalist. But first and foremost he was a great human being

Charlie Bird's death is big sad news about the man who made big news, writes Sean O'Rourke

Charlie Bird. A 'great journalist' and 'a great human being'.

Charlie Bird is dead — big sad news about the man who made big news. A legend and a warrior, Charlie was a great journalist. But first and foremost he was a great human being. In health and even more so in illness, he gave it his all.

Many journalists insist they can never get involved with their subjects, like the American reporter in Vietnam who witnessed a man self-immolate. As a human he wanted to intervene, but as a reporter, he felt he couldn’t.