Kennedy & Swail of Moira
The late Millar McAllistar was one of the most influential scribes for the sport of pigeon racing in Northern Ireland during the late sixties and early part of the 1970’s. The following is an article that he put together on the Irish National Flying Club Champions of 1972, that being Kennedy & Swail of Moira, followed by a couple of excellent reports firstly on the Hanlon & Lavery partnership of Muckamore and secondly on the Master and Ace flyer that was Billy Parkes of Killyleagh.
When the result of the NIPA Haverford race became known I made my way to Moira to visit the winner and handle his bird and whilst at Philip Turner’s loft I enquired from him who raced to a loft I could see some 300 yards away high up on the side of a barn. Philip duly informed me that this was the loft of Kennedy & Swail. Now just at that time the names Kennedy & Swail meant very little to me but it wasn’t going to be long before I got my eyes well and truly opened because the name Kennedy and Swail was to appear quite a few times in Derby and National results before the end of the 1972 season.
Trevor Kennedy pictured on the left holding winner of 7th Open Skibbereen National with racing partner Paddy Swail looking on.
After the last INFC result was known I rang Ronnie Johnston to enquire who where the 1972 Champions and what should the answer be but Kennedy & Swail. I spoke to Trevor Kennedy on the telephone and arranged to take some photographs and do a full report on the loft as soon as the birds had completed their moult. So I set off on a bitterly cold afternoon in November to complete my report. Trevor Kennedy and his partner Paddy Swail were waiting for me and it wasn’t long before we were making our way up the three stories in the barn to the loft on the top floor. The loft itself is some 30ft long by 6ft high and 6ft broad and is made completely of fine wire mesh with three compartments, one for YB and the nest boxes and the other 30 box perches. There is a vast difference in this and Trevor’s first loft which was only 4ft square on the top floor of the barn.
“The Strawberry Mealy” winner of 34th Open INFC Penzance Y/Bird National on a Velocity of 812ypm with some 2,934 pigeons competing.
At this point I should maybe clarify a few points Trevor Kennedy and Paddy Swail only joined forces in 1971 prior to which Trevor had been in the sport 6 years and Paddy had no previous experience of the birds whatsoever, but as Trevor had his loft just to the rear of Paddy’s premises he started to get interested. Aw well s this Paddy & Trevor are very close friends. Paddy is also the proprietor of the very popular “Four Trees Inn” in Moira, and it is a very popular spot for the local fanciers. The friendly pigeon chat no doubt obviously influenced paddy to get involved in the sport and he joined forced with his next door neighbour Trevor Kennedy. Paddy can’t spend much time with the birds because of his business. So most of the work with the pigeons is carried out by Trevor a task he thoroughly enjoys. How did he become interested in the sport of racing pigeons? Well, his brother and brother-in-law race as Turkington & Kennedy and Trevor used to watch for their birds on race days and occasionally took them for race marking; the inevitable happened and he was bitten by the bug. Turkington & Kennedy decided to reduce their stock and as Trevor was a butcher by trade he was nominated to put the finishing touches to the unwanted birds. However, he liked this bird and that bird and ended up keeping 6 or 8 and one of these turned out to be the Dam of the first bird he entered in the Kings Cup in 1969. The bird, a nice Red Hen, took a creditable 51st Open, 544 miles, and went on to fly Nantes again in 1971. Sam Angus of Donaghadee is a family friend and a pair of gift birds where received from him. One of this pair is still in the loft and has bred some fine prize winners. Sam Banks of Moira also loaned Trevor a good hen. The present team originate from birds from Downey & Dowds and McCartney Bros, Moira, the late F R Best (Boxmore), S Angus and Turkington & Kennedy. However, the majority contain the best blood from Downey and Dowds and McCartney Bros of Moira and you can’t get much better than that.
“The Mealy Cock” winner of 31st Open INFC Skibbereen Y/Bird National on a Velocity of 995ypm with 3,967 pigeons competing. This cock was bred by the fabulous partnership of Downey & Dowds
Approximately 6 pairs of stock birds and 25 pairs of racers are wintered and 45 Y/Birds are reared. The stock birds are mated 1st week in February and the racers 1st week in March. The birds are raced on the Natural system and during the racing season are hopper fed. They get plenty of exercise and have fresh water three times a day. O/Bird training consists of two or three 10 to 15 mile tosses then 25 mile tosses 4 times per week weather permitting and 20 minutes around the loft in the evening. Y/Birds are started at 5 miles and worked up in stages to 25 miles then they are treated just the same as O/Birds. The birds seem to thrive on the good food and hard work, it seems to keep them happy and Trevor thinks that’s part of the secret, keeping the birds happy. Best racing condition for the O/Birds is 16 to 18 days on eggs. Trevor thinks they are at their keenest and best form at this stage.
When I asked him if any fancier had given him encouragement Trevor was full of praise for Jimmy Downey of the Downey and Dowds partnership. Trevor says he owes a lot to Jimmy for any success he has had and knowing Jimmy as I do I can quite believe everything Trevor says, I have found him a mind of information and help myself.
“Blue Frill Cock” winner of 31st Open INFC Nantes Kings Cup on a velocity of 632ypm with 2,151 pigeons competing.
Now to some of the best performances put up by the loft, 1969 51st Open Nantes, 544 miles. 1971 saw the best individual performances to the loft 7th Open INFC Skibbereen winning £375 they were also 98th Open in this race. 1972 This was a most incredible season, 31st and 75th Open Nantes Kings Cup Race, 2,151 birds, 16th Section, 57th Open NIPA Haverford Y/B Derby, 6th Section, 37th open NIPA Skibbereen Y/Bird Derby, 5,396 birds, 34th and 54th Open INFC Y/Bird National Penzance, 2,934 birds, 31st, 34th and 128th Open INFC Y/Bird National Skibbereen, 3,967 birds. Total winnings for 1972 total £900. However, Trevor’s most thrilling moment in the sport was when he stepped at the INFC dinner to receive the Irwin Trophy for the best average in the three INFC races in 1972 from Nantes, Penzance and Skibbereen. The Kennedy and Swail loft have had a fantastic, fairy tale rise to fame in 1972. To win the Irwin Trophy they had to beat all the top National lofts in Ireland and that’s easier said than done. Kennedy and Swail were worthy winners for not only did they time one bird in each INFC race but they timed two from Nantes and Penzance and four from Skibbereen and each race was a difficult one.
As can be seen from their training methods the birds are worked extremely hard and when one looks at their results it certainly pays off. I am sure 1973 will see the Kennedy & Swail loft fighting once again for top honours but if they’re not, it won’t be for the want of trying.