Charlie Bird reveals plans for a ‘Coffee Table Book’ dedicated to the ‘Climb with Charlie’ fundraiser

Former RTÉ journalist Charlie Bird has announced plans to publish a book that will chronicle the huge success of his Climb with Charlie fundraiser.

After months of planning and an overwhelming response from the public, the charity initiative took place last weekend.

The charity drive has so far raised over €2.2 million for the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association and Pieta, and donations are still being received.

In a message posted to Twitter this morning, Charlie Bird said people who took photos of the event should “keep them safe” as a publisher is interested in creating a “photo book”.

“I think I’ve found a publisher for an illustrated book chronicling the events of last Saturday on Croagh Patrick and all the other climtwithcharlie places in Ireland and abroad. So keep it safe for photographers and others who took photos on this amazing day,” he wrote.

An estimated 10,000 supporters joined him on Saturday as he climbed Croagh Patrick as he fulfilled his ambition to scale the summit while highlighting the physical and mental challenges that so many people face.

In addition to the Croagh Patrick Challenge, nearly 200 separate Climb with Charlie fundraisers were held in Ireland, the US, South Africa, Australia and Spain.

Charlie, who worked at RTÉ for 38 years before retiring in 2012, said his health was “not great” as the terminal illness made daily tasks more difficult.

He has now lost his voice and communicates using state of the art technology that has cloned his voice.

The fundraiser will remain open for the next three months to gather funding.

To donate, visit www.climbwithcharlie.ie.