[3] In this role, along with Tariq Ali of the International Marxist Group, he attended the funeral of Peter Graham of Saor Éire who was assassinated on 25 October 1971 in an internecine dispute.

A photograph of the funeral shows Ali and Bird giving a clenched fist salute at the grave.

[b][6] Bird began his career in RTÉ as a writer responding to fan mail for a children's show, and later became a researcher before moving into a position in the newsroom in 1980.

[2] On the international front, Bird reported on the Gulf War and was in Syria for the release of Brian Keenan in 1990.

[8] During his coverage of the NIB story, Bird reported that Beverley Flynn had assisted clients of the bank in evading tax by funnelling undeclared income to Clerical Medical schemes based in the Isle of Man.

[8] The matter went to the Irish High Court in 2001; a jury found that while RTÉ was unable to prove its case, they also stated that the allegations levelled against Flynn were substantially true.

That became a controversy in itself, with the public outraged that ultimately the taxpayer would have to foot such a steep bill, as well as accusations that Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was involved and had encouraged RTÉ to settle.

[11] Bird was attacked during the Dublin riots of 25 February 2006, suffering a fractured cheekbone, soft tissue damage and bruising.

[12] On RTÉ News broadcasts later that evening, he spoke of his personal experience—and of how his assailants had recognised him and called him an "Orange Bastard".

Witnesses included Sunday Independent journalist Daniel McConnell, who reported on the event the following day.

[13] On 7 October 2008, Bird was announced to become the RTÉ News and Current Affairs Washington correspondent in January 2009.

[15] RTÉ received 30 complaints after he "failed to wear a suit and tie" on Six One during coverage of the death of Ted Kennedy.

[32] On 27 October 2021, Bird announced that he had developed motor neurone disease, after experiencing problems with his voice.