RTÉ HAS CONFIRMED that its former chief news reporter Charlie Bird is to retire after almost 40 years with the organisation.

He joined the state broadcaster in 1974, and later became chief news reported and RTÉ’s Washington correspondent.

He will present the Marian Finucane Show on RTÉ Radio One this Sunday, but that will be his last broadcast.

The 63-year-old has said that he’s not retiring completely though and hasn’t ruled out working for other broadcasters.

Thanks for the memories Charlie. Here are your best bits:

‘I want to talk to you’ – Charlie tracks down former Anglo Irish Bank Chief Executive David Drumm:

Uploaded by RTÉ

It must be love – Charlie gets friendly with a seal in Antarctica:

Uploaded by RTÉ

Maybe ‘best bits’ isn’t an appropriate title for this next one, but Charlie Bird carried on working after being attacked during the Love Ulster riots in Dublin in February 2005:

Uploaded by wobzilla1

And Charlie even got the Bull Island treatment:

Uploaded by Sheridmi

2011: RTÉ denies it misled on viewing figures for Charlie Bird’s South Pole Trek>