Frontline TV reporter makes his case in court

He's been on the box for 20 years, but Ireland's best-known journalist was finally in it yesterday as Beverley Cooper-Flynn's libel action entered its sixth week.

For two decades Charlie Bird has been ubiquitous. Anywhere a crisis occurs, the RTE man has been standing in front of it on the six o'clock news, excited. Yesterday he broke new ground, however, when he appeared live for the defence in the witness-box of High Court Number 4. And while his tones were modulated to match the surroundings, lawyers never had to ask him to speak up.

Led through evidence by his counsel, Mr Bird appeared relaxed, at least by his standards. Reviewing his notes of a 1998 interview with Meath farmer James Howard, he even laughed at his inability to read the handwriting. But while this might have been a risky strategy for a print journalist, he was secure in the knowledge that the full conversation was on tape.

In a unusual twist, Ms Cooper-Flynn - who claims she was libelled in the broadcast of that interview - was the one taking notes yesterday. And while she may not have shared the witness's sense of humour about his handwriting, she allowed herself a few wry smiles. One of these occurred when he described his vigil in Cavan's Slieve Russell Hotel, at a Fianna Fail think-in in 1998, during his attempt to deliver a letter to - as he called her - "Bev".

On several occasions he referred to himself in the third person, a habit he shares with a certain Pee Flynn. But Mr Bird may justifiably regard himself as public property. His mobile phone number certainly is: he advertised it in Cavan's Anglo-Celt newspaper, he said, in an effort to encourage sources.

The public gallery filled up yesterday as word of the star turn filtered out. Latecomers missed the account of his humble education, a particular weakness being things mathematical. Which may have explained his difficulty describing the role in RTE of his fellow journalist and collaborator, George Lee: "He's the Economics Editor, I think."

Asked if he had ever been sued, Mr Bird replied: "No, never." The last time someone threatened to see him in court, he said, "it was the other way round".

Yesterday, however, it was finally a case of: "This is Charlie Bird, for RTE News, in the High Court."

His evidence continues today.