Bono to release song in honour of Charlie Bird ahead of Croagh Patrick climb

U2 frontman Bono is to release a special song on Friday dedicated to Charlie Bird and the Climb With Charlie campaign, as the veteran broadcaster prepares for his climb of Croagh Patrick to raise funds for Pieta House and research into motor neuron disease.

The song, Crazy Mountain, will get its first airing on The Ryan Tubridy Show on RTÉ Radio 1 on Friday morning.

As part of the broadcast, listeners will for the first time hear Mr Bird’s new cloned voice as he introduces the song himself.

Following the preview release on The Ryan Tubridy Show, the song will then be generally available on the Climb With Charlie social media channels tracking Charlie Bird's climb and related efforts, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

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Mr Bird described Bono’s action as “an outstanding gesture”. He said he was “overjoyed and could not believe the message that I received from Bono. He has been hugely supportive of the Climb With Charlie campaign.”

"I want to encourage everyone to log on to www.climbwithcharlie.ie and donate what they can or 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. Climb With Charlie is a nationwide initiative to recognise the huge physical and emotional mountains so many of us have to climb in our daily lives,'' Mr Bird added.

All funds raised by the campaign will go to the Irish Motor Neuron Disease Association and Pieta House.

First meeting

Mr Bird first met Bono in Washington, DC, when Bono was involved in a series of visits to the US government on humanitarian issues.

Mr Bird will climb Croagh Patrick on April 2nd – an immense challenge given his diagnosis with motor neuron disease. But he said he is determined to do it.

Due to Covid-19, general health and safety issues, and ongoing environmental works on Croagh Patrick, the campaign cannot facilitate large numbers of people on Croagh Patrick on April 2nd. Therefore the fundraising campaign is encouraging people to climb or walk in their local area.

People can donate to the campaign, or find out more about it, on climbwithcharlie.ie.