The price of fame

Charlie Bird must be used to being recognised wherever he goes but even he was startled on Tuesday morning while he was standing…

Charlie Bird must be used to being recognised wherever he goes but even he was startled on Tuesday morning while he was standing in the Upper Yard of Dublin Castle - when he must have questioned his "pop status".

Waiting in the sunshine for the Moriarty tribunal to begin, he hadn't noticed a coachload of visitors approaching.

Suddenly, RT╔'s prolific journalist found himself mobbed and completely surrounded by a couple of dozen elderly grey-haired ladies decked out in their summer frocks, all chatting to him and shaking his hand.

Charlie, as good-natured as ever, remained the centre of their attention until his senior citizen fans trotted off to the State Apartments, obviously delighted at the unexpected added attraction to their day out.