Charlie Bird, a renowned journalist from RTÉ, left us with an interesting unfinished narrative when he passed away earlier this year. His film outlines his investigations into a scarcely documented plan aimed at coercing the government during the bleak late 70s. Bird, dealing with increasingly severe motor neuron disease symptoms, paralleled some aspects with the 2022 documentary Charlie Bird: Loud and Clear. He eventually employed a uniquely effective voice-generation software. Difficulty in swallowing is highlighted, but the primary concentration is the vivid recall of a murky period.
The narrative is initiated with a lively montage of scenes from that era, accompanied by The Atrix’s effervescent tune, Treasure on the Wasteland. This was an era marred by kidnappings, insolvency, and men in unfashionable suede jackets. Bird unfolds an improbable plot for us. Apparently, in 1979, a missive was dispatched to the Department of Agriculture, demanding £5 million and threatening to introduce foot-and-mouth disease to the cattle in Ireland. The anxiety associated with this disease, which did eventually manifest in 2007, was ever looming over farmers three decades earlier. One of the people in the film suggests that comprehending the crucial role agriculture played in the economy at that time is now a challenge.
Lack of clarity about how seriously the threat was to be taken was a central issue. Three potential scenarios are presented. Was it a prank, was it genuine, or were they stuck in an ambiguous twilight zone where only the threat was genuine?
Collaborating with director Colm Quinn and the adaptable writer Colin Murphy, Bird uses hidden energy stores to succinctly map out a network that encapsulates numerous discontentment’s of that era. Saor Éire, a breakaway republican group, is entwined in the narrative. An attempted swap in Wexford results in a blend of anxiety and dark comedy.
In essence, Sarah McInerney suggests finding her picture in the dictionary next to the definition of ‘middle-child syndrome’.
Claire, the late Charlie Bird’s wife, shared her thoughts on his final narrative, expressing her determination to carry on without his invaluable presence by her side. Bird’s contribution to ‘Ransom ’79’ strikes a powerful emotional chord, elevating it beyond a standard television documentary. The impressive storytelling aptitude cannot be discounted. Life’s ambiguity is depicted aptly, with many loose ends in the narrative. ‘Ransom ’79’ is scheduled for a theatrical release on Friday, May 24th.