In 1979, a ransom demand for five million pounds was sent in a letter to the Irish government. The letter stated that if the money wasn’t handed over, the punishment would be the release of the deadly foot and mouth disease in the country. Ireland was heavily reliant on agriculture at the time, and a foot-and-mouth outbreak would have devastated the economy. The threat was kept a secret between a few gardai and government officials. Almost 40 years later, the veteran journalist Charlie Bird learned of the ransom and decided to investigate who was behind it. Not long into the investigation, Bird was diagnosed with motor neuron disease. He decided to share his diagnosis with the public. Alongside playwright and journalist Colin Murphy, Bird chased his final story with determination despite his declining health while documentarian Colm Mooney charted their progress in Ransom ’79.
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