News Update - March 2014
Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 2:00 pm
Leinster North Road Federation - (2)
Recently the Barrow Valley RPC held their AGM, in the Graiugecullen GAA Clubhouse. Elected for the 2014 season were Joe Brennan as Treasurer, Roly Brennan as Secretary, and Francis Corcoran as Chairman, Frank Archbold is the club’s adviser and tidies up any loose ends that have to be done in and around the club, with a wealth of experience, and respect from all over the country, he is the right man to have in your team. The club has a thriving membership of over 30 with two new additions for the 2014 season. Racing from the North, with the Leinster North Road federation, will start on Sunday 27th of April with maybe a short pipe opener the previous week from Mullingar or Navan for club members.
On Tuesday March 6th, the Federation held their meeting to set the race programme for 2014, the meeting was well attended, with delegates from every club present.
The Chairman, Joe o Neill welcomed the new club from Fethard into the Federation.
After some discussion, the race programme for this year is as follows, Starting on April 27th from Navan, then Navan, Carrigmacross, Monaghan, Larne, Larne, Mauchline, Cookstown, Hamilton, Malin Head, and finally Frazerburgh on Friday July 4th. Mauchline on June 7th will incorporate the Yearling National & The Malin Head race on June 29th will be the new Federation Derby. Racing will be on Sunday’s, except for the Nationals which are on a Saturday for Mauchline and Hamilton and Friday for Frazerburgh.
The young bird programme commences on July 20th from Navan, then Navan, Carrigmacross, Monaghan, Cookstown, Larne, Carrigmacross, Mauchline, and finally Malin Head on September 14th.
There will be a Carrigmacross race to be flown on Monday the 8th of September, race marking for this one will be Sunday 7th.
This year the Fed have organised a Golden Ring scheme at a cost of €10 per ring or six rings for €50. Ring numbers, to be with the secretary Kathleen Delaney, one week before the first young bird race. With full payment to the treasurer Francis Corcoran on or before the night of the first young bird race. Here’s hoping for a good response from all Fed members. The race will take place from Larne on Sunday August 24th when 80% of the income will be raced for, a further 10% will be raced for from Mauchline on September 6th, given out as one prize for the highest velocity of a Golden ring bird clocked in that race, please note that in order to win the prize from Mauchline, the young bird must have competed from the Golden ring race from Larne as well. The remaining 10% will be kept for Fed funds.
Jimmy Kelly Auction.
23/02/14
Sunday the 23rd of February seen the entire clearance sale of pigeons belonging to Jimmy Kelly of the Barrow Valley RPC here in Carlow. The venue, which was the Eire og GAA club rooms, must be one of the best, here in the south of Ireland, with all the necessary requirements to run a good sale, plenty of room, plenty of Light and a nice lounge bar down stairs for those that finished early spending their hard earned cash.
Jimmy would like to thank all those that travelled long distances and also the local fanciers that supported the sale, all birds were sold on the day by budding auctioneers Roly Brennan and Peter Power, they done a magnificent job in getting through a really big squad of pigeons. Thanks also to Joe Brennan, John Hammond, Derek o Shea, Michael Ramsbottom, Joe Keegan and Frank archbold for their sterling work during the long day, and finally the best of good fortune to all those that purchased stock on the day.
On a personal note, I would just like to say that it’s sad to see good pigeon men like Jimmy having to give up the sport that he loved so much, and I’m sure that if it wasn’t for serious health issues, these birds would never have been sold.
I have known Jimmy Kelly for over 35 years, and well remember when his good Mealy Pied hen won 3rd Open in the young bird National from Malin Head, that was in 1980 and it left a lasting impression on him to do well in National racing over the coming years. Later, my brother Tony and I helped Jimmy import the Jeff Horn Busschearts direct from the doctor himself, among the birds brought in. was a small hen that Jimmy wasn’t fond of and which the Doctor replaced, however he did allow Jimmy to keep the small hen, saying that he was sure that she would do him some good, as it happened, that hen went on to breed the famous Jeff, one of the best pigeons that ever raced in Carlow, often winning races by the proverbial mile, this beautiful blue cock had the capacity to leave the flock at any time he wanted, as often was the case when we were training, he could be seen just skating away from the rest within seconds of being released, myself and John Shea { RIP } would often race home to Jimmy’s house with his baskets, only to find that Jeff would be well settled on his nest, well before any other birds were home.
Jimmy was never afraid to buy the best pigeons he could find, always with one intension in mind and that was to win Thurso the most prestigious race here in the south of Ireland, never an easy task, even at club level with the likes of Billy Brooks, Frank Archbold and a few more in our club alone, dominating the distance scene at National level in recent years, but Jimmy stuck with it and eventually got his just rewards in 2013 when winning 1st Club 1st section & 2nd open from Thurso, this was an outstanding performance when you consider that the same hen had already scored 3rd Club, 3rd section & 3rd Open in 2012 from the same race point, that hen was the product of two direct Gary Inkly pigeons purchased direct for stock. She was sold at the recent auction, and I really do hope that she goes on to breed some super pigeons for her new owner.
I’ll leave you this week with some photo’s from the past.
As usual I can be contacted on Francis Corcoran@alpinelofts.net or 00353 5991 45419.
Punch.
Blackpool 1985 - Mikey Mahoney, Paddy Galvin, Enda Kelly, Derek O'Shea, Frank Archbold, Peter Flynn, John O'Shea, Charlie M.
At Houtan Spring Fair 2009 - Sean Tubbard, Peter Tubbard, Paul Gunning, Ollie Gittens.
Paddy Moore Barrow Valley, 1st Open YB Nat Girvan 1989.
Recently the Barrow Valley RPC held their AGM, in the Graiugecullen GAA Clubhouse. Elected for the 2014 season were Joe Brennan as Treasurer, Roly Brennan as Secretary, and Francis Corcoran as Chairman, Frank Archbold is the club’s adviser and tidies up any loose ends that have to be done in and around the club, with a wealth of experience, and respect from all over the country, he is the right man to have in your team. The club has a thriving membership of over 30 with two new additions for the 2014 season. Racing from the North, with the Leinster North Road federation, will start on Sunday 27th of April with maybe a short pipe opener the previous week from Mullingar or Navan for club members.
On Tuesday March 6th, the Federation held their meeting to set the race programme for 2014, the meeting was well attended, with delegates from every club present.
The Chairman, Joe o Neill welcomed the new club from Fethard into the Federation.
After some discussion, the race programme for this year is as follows, Starting on April 27th from Navan, then Navan, Carrigmacross, Monaghan, Larne, Larne, Mauchline, Cookstown, Hamilton, Malin Head, and finally Frazerburgh on Friday July 4th. Mauchline on June 7th will incorporate the Yearling National & The Malin Head race on June 29th will be the new Federation Derby. Racing will be on Sunday’s, except for the Nationals which are on a Saturday for Mauchline and Hamilton and Friday for Frazerburgh.
The young bird programme commences on July 20th from Navan, then Navan, Carrigmacross, Monaghan, Cookstown, Larne, Carrigmacross, Mauchline, and finally Malin Head on September 14th.
There will be a Carrigmacross race to be flown on Monday the 8th of September, race marking for this one will be Sunday 7th.
This year the Fed have organised a Golden Ring scheme at a cost of €10 per ring or six rings for €50. Ring numbers, to be with the secretary Kathleen Delaney, one week before the first young bird race. With full payment to the treasurer Francis Corcoran on or before the night of the first young bird race. Here’s hoping for a good response from all Fed members. The race will take place from Larne on Sunday August 24th when 80% of the income will be raced for, a further 10% will be raced for from Mauchline on September 6th, given out as one prize for the highest velocity of a Golden ring bird clocked in that race, please note that in order to win the prize from Mauchline, the young bird must have competed from the Golden ring race from Larne as well. The remaining 10% will be kept for Fed funds.
Jimmy Kelly Auction.
23/02/14
Sunday the 23rd of February seen the entire clearance sale of pigeons belonging to Jimmy Kelly of the Barrow Valley RPC here in Carlow. The venue, which was the Eire og GAA club rooms, must be one of the best, here in the south of Ireland, with all the necessary requirements to run a good sale, plenty of room, plenty of Light and a nice lounge bar down stairs for those that finished early spending their hard earned cash.
Jimmy would like to thank all those that travelled long distances and also the local fanciers that supported the sale, all birds were sold on the day by budding auctioneers Roly Brennan and Peter Power, they done a magnificent job in getting through a really big squad of pigeons. Thanks also to Joe Brennan, John Hammond, Derek o Shea, Michael Ramsbottom, Joe Keegan and Frank archbold for their sterling work during the long day, and finally the best of good fortune to all those that purchased stock on the day.
On a personal note, I would just like to say that it’s sad to see good pigeon men like Jimmy having to give up the sport that he loved so much, and I’m sure that if it wasn’t for serious health issues, these birds would never have been sold.
I have known Jimmy Kelly for over 35 years, and well remember when his good Mealy Pied hen won 3rd Open in the young bird National from Malin Head, that was in 1980 and it left a lasting impression on him to do well in National racing over the coming years. Later, my brother Tony and I helped Jimmy import the Jeff Horn Busschearts direct from the doctor himself, among the birds brought in. was a small hen that Jimmy wasn’t fond of and which the Doctor replaced, however he did allow Jimmy to keep the small hen, saying that he was sure that she would do him some good, as it happened, that hen went on to breed the famous Jeff, one of the best pigeons that ever raced in Carlow, often winning races by the proverbial mile, this beautiful blue cock had the capacity to leave the flock at any time he wanted, as often was the case when we were training, he could be seen just skating away from the rest within seconds of being released, myself and John Shea { RIP } would often race home to Jimmy’s house with his baskets, only to find that Jeff would be well settled on his nest, well before any other birds were home.
Jimmy was never afraid to buy the best pigeons he could find, always with one intension in mind and that was to win Thurso the most prestigious race here in the south of Ireland, never an easy task, even at club level with the likes of Billy Brooks, Frank Archbold and a few more in our club alone, dominating the distance scene at National level in recent years, but Jimmy stuck with it and eventually got his just rewards in 2013 when winning 1st Club 1st section & 2nd open from Thurso, this was an outstanding performance when you consider that the same hen had already scored 3rd Club, 3rd section & 3rd Open in 2012 from the same race point, that hen was the product of two direct Gary Inkly pigeons purchased direct for stock. She was sold at the recent auction, and I really do hope that she goes on to breed some super pigeons for her new owner.
I’ll leave you this week with some photo’s from the past.
As usual I can be contacted on Francis Corcoran@alpinelofts.net or 00353 5991 45419.
Punch.
Blackpool 1985 - Mikey Mahoney, Paddy Galvin, Enda Kelly, Derek O'Shea, Frank Archbold, Peter Flynn, John O'Shea, Charlie M.
At Houtan Spring Fair 2009 - Sean Tubbard, Peter Tubbard, Paul Gunning, Ollie Gittens.
Paddy Moore Barrow Valley, 1st Open YB Nat Girvan 1989.