The IHU National FC awards were presented following the presentation for the ISRF at the Sarsfield RPC in Dublin on Sunday 27th December, Secretary Ken Knight penned this report for the year.
The IHUNFC commenced the 2011 season with a few changes that had been made at the AGM. During this season there were to be four midweek races from Barleycove, two for old birds and two for young birds, in addition to four channel races. It seemed to grab the imagination of fanciers as the club’s membership increased to 400.
The season kicked off with a Wednesday race from Barleycove on May 11th and with 167 members sending 1657 birds it proved to be a whopper of an opener. The birds charged out of the transporter and Dick Ryan of the Tower Invitation club in Dungarvan had a great day claiming 1st and 2nd spot with two cocks doing a velocity of 2167. The first bird in Section B(Arklow/Wexford) went to Kennedy & Jackman of Enniscorthy and their Blue cock was doing 2142 which was good enough for 3rd national. Derek Larkin of Finglas had the first two birds in Section A (Dublin), his two Blue cocks good enough for 13th & 14th national. These were quickly followed by J & J Conron in Kilkenny who won Section C and was 15th national. So all the sections were won with the first fifteen birds in the open result.
The second race was also a Wednesday Barleycove race held on June 1st. 141 members sent 1414 birds and just to prove the first one was no fluke Dick Ryan did it again, 1st & 2nd national for the Dungarvan man with his two yearling cocks doing 1828 and 1815. The Arklow great Sheldon Leonard racing as Leonard & Son had the next four birds to win Section B. His three Blue cocks and a well fancied Blue hen were all within 3 ypm of each other. Section C was won by Leo Conron of Kilkenny, his Dark Cheq yearling cock coming in at 15th national and Derek Larkin of Finglas was once again the best in Section A with his yearling Blue cock at 18th spot in the national. Once again, all four sections won within the first dozen and a half birds.
On to the great leveller – the channel. Sennen Cove was the first of these on June 4th with 266 members sending 1445 birds. This is where the men from Cork came into their own, claiming the first 6 positions in the national. Billy Wallace was in top spot with a yearling cock on 959 and it was noticeable after the two land races that no bird managed over 1000 ypm in this race. They really get sorted out in this type of race. First in Section B was Peter Lucas from Arklow with a 5yo Cheq cock on 879 followed immediately by the Section C winner who was T. O’Dwyer of Kilkenny with a yearling Cheq hen on 873. These two birds were 7th and 8th national. Top bird in Section A was Breada Deegan with a yearling Blue cock. These birds were all in the first dozen in the open result so things are being spread out. One of the stand-out performances though had to be in Section E (Ennis) where Tommy Murray from Galway clocked a 2yo Cheq hen early on the second morning to be 1st Section E, 98th national. Some going considering this bird had to fly the width on the country on its own after crossing the Irish Sea.
The next race was also from Sennen Cove on June 18th and with 194 members racing 1016 birds it was the turn of the Carlow/Kilkenny men to dominate. The first four birds were in Section C with PJ Nangle of Carlow coming out on top with his yearling Blue w/f cock doing 1336 to grab 1st national. He was followed home quickly by 3 birds from Kilkenny for the next 3 national positions. The winners being W. Cullen, PJ Doheny and M. Matthews. Anto Mason from the Donnycarney club was the first Dublin bird, his yearling Blue hen doing 1297 for 1st Section A and 5th national. A. Duffy from Wicklow south road was 1st Section B and 7th national with a yearling Dark pied cock doing 1286. It was a tougher day for the birds from Cork but they still made it through and the first two in this section were only split by a decimal. J. Kenny & son’s yearling Cheq pied cock was doing 1174.9 for 1st Section D, 32nd national and T. O’Rourke’s yearling Cheq cock was on 1174.2 for 2nd Section D and 33rd national. Once more a gallant bird made it across to the west, with George Guilfoyle’s yearling Grizzle cock taking 1st Section E. George races in the Banner club in Co Clare.
On to the St Malo race where 141 members sent 412 birds for one of the toughest tests in Irish pigeon racing. It was a great day for Plunkett & Earls from Bray who clocked their only entry, a 2yo Blue hen to record a velocity of 1657 and take 1st national. Congratulations. Martin Walsh of the Dublin Homing Club, who won this race last year, was second on 1645 so Martin knows what he’s doing when it comes to this race point. R. Dowling from Kilkenny was 6th national and 1st Section C on 1483 and he can thank his wife for clocking his 3yo Cheq hen for him. Fair play to her. Section B was won by Arklow United’s Dempsey & O’Keeffe with a yearling Blue hen on 1400 which was 10th national. Wall Bros from Cork were 1st Section D and 24th national with a yearling Cheq cock on 1086. Over the three days there were 47 birds home and there were some notable performances. Tommy Speers of Malahide sent 6 and clocked them all over the three days and Wall Bros from Cork sent 4 and clocked all these. Great stuff. There were 29 birds home in Section A, 8 in Section B, 5 in Section C and 5 in Section D. The velocities ranged from 1657 to 236.
On to the young birds and the opener was once more a midweek Barleycove race on August 17th. The tough season was reflected in the numbers and 91 members sent 1109 birds. That great national flyer Billy Cullimore from Wexford had a storming race and took the first 4 positions and had 7 in the first 9 national places. Brilliant flying. The first 9 birds were only separated by 3 ypm so any hesitation on the trap was going to cost you. The wind on the day dictated that the winners were going to be in this part of the country and Section B took the first 57 positions. But that’s why the national has section pools in land races, so you pay your money and take your chance. The first bird in Section A was to Peter Ward & son from Finglas with a velocity of 1246 followed immediately by Tony Phelan of the Sarsfield club on 1245. Section D was won by Richie Nagle of Abbeyside in Dungarvan. His young white flighted hen was doing 1240. Angelo Marsella of Newbridge won Section C on 1227. Section E got a few birds in going against the drag and Guilfoyle & McMahon topped the list here doing 929.
The one and only young bird channel race was held on August 28th from Talbenny and what a stinker it proved to be. 114 members sent 664 birds and only 27 were recorded in race time. The first chunk of these got into Cork and the winning loft was D. Mulcahy who clocked a young Cheq Pied hen to be 1st national on 828.4. Indeed the first 8 birds in the result went to Section D with the only one outside Cork being to P & J Maher from Dungarvan, who were 6th national. The first bird in Section A went to M/M Peter Bell from Kildonagh in north Dublin. This Chequer hen was 9th national on 478. It was immediately followed by the Section B winner, Paddy McCabe of Gorey clocking a Blue hen on 449 to be 10th national. Tommy Murray from Galway once again had a bird to be a magnificent representative of Section E, finishing 13th national with a Chequer hen on 410. Every wing beat of its 195 mile journey was against a strong west wind – gold dust. The fickle nature of channel racing across the Irish Sea was demonstrated within three days of this race, when the northern organisations raced from the same spot and had a great race with velocities in the 1400’s. Them’s the breaks, but to the 27 birds who succeeded in this race, well done, see you next year.
The final race of the I.H.U.N.F.C. calendar for 2011 was once again to be a midweek race from Barleycove, but due to the perceived lack of interest and the resultant costs, it was felt necessary to cancel. This of course has implications for the future of the club, as without good membership and birdage in all sections races are not viable. We’ll have to wait and see. In the meantime, congratulations to all this seasons winners and those gallant birds who made it in some really tough races.
