Taoiseach Cup – A history of the Irish Long Distance racing.
As noted at this time (1947) fanciers to the south of the island formed the Eire National Flying Club (to be renamed the Irish (North Road) N F C decades later in the mid-seventies) and held their first race in 1949.
Irish (North Road) National Flying Club Winners:
1949 Cupar - Flynn & O'Reilly, Dublin Vel 982
1950 Ballycastle - Hore Bros., Wexford Vel
1951 Coleraine - E.Yeats, Dublin Vel
1952 Ballycastle - S.Cant, Dublin Vel
1953 Ballycastle - G.Roche, Wexford Vel
1954 Fraserburgh - Hore Bros., Wexford Vel 1160
1955 Fraserburgh - S.Cant, Dublin Vel
1956 Thurso - J.Magner, Drogheda Vel 934
1957~~~
1958 Thurso - M.Lennon, Dublin Vel
1959 Fraserburgh - T.Crosbie, Wexford Vel 747
1960 Fraserburgh - S.Campbell, Balbriggan Vel 910
1961 Fraserburgh - W.Flynn, Dublin Vel 719
1962 Fraserburgh - P.F.Ambrose, Dublin Vel 1003
1963 Fraserburgh - M.Brannigan, Drogheda Vel 939
1964 Thurso - P.Whitmore, Wexford Vel 546
1965 Thurso - E.Ingle & Son, Dublin Vel 1147
1966 Thurso - W.Whitty, Wexford Vel 716
1967 Thurso - Duggan Bros, Rosslare Vel 878
1968 Lerwick - M.Siggins, Wexford Vel 650
1969 Thurso - W.Whitty, Wexford Vel 635
1970 Thurso - J.Hore, Wexford Vel 593
1971 Glasgow - M.Siggins, Wexford Vel 1230
1972 Thurso - T.Moore, Carlow Vel 877
1973 Thurso - Kennedy & Son, Dublin Vel 1047
1974 Thurso - J.Franey, Wicklow Vel 896
1975 Lerwick - W.Whitty, Wexford Vel 1184
1976 Thurso - P.Whitmore, Wexford Vel 645
1977 Thurso - Aherne Bros., Youghal Vel 691
1978 Lerwick - G.Cervi, Dublin Vel 1050
1979 Thurso - M.Siggins, Wexford Vel 1136
1980 Thurso - Scallon Bros., Wexford Vel 919
1981 Thurso - T.Walsh, Kilkenny Vel 1123
1982 Girvan - D.Redmond & Son, Wexford Vel 1080
1983 Thurso - S.McDermot, Dublin Vel 487
1984 Malin Head - Mr & Mrs. Jones, Dublin Vel 1135
1985 Malin Head - P.Byrne, Wicklow Vel 1144
1986 Inverness - R. & J. Sheehan Limerick Vel 996
1987 Thurso - M.Mahony, Wexford Vel 625
1988 Thurso - T.Delaney, Kilkenny Vel 1396
1989 Thurso L- .O'Brien, Arklow Vel 1022
1990 Thurso - A.Hubbard, Wicklow Vel 856
1991 Thurso - M.Aherne, Youghal Vel 1151
1992 Thurso - T.Walsh, Kilkenny Vel 919
1993 New Pitsligo - P.Lambert,Arklow Vel 1067
1994 New Pitsligo - T.Walsh, Kilkenny Vel
1995 Thurso - E.O'Neill, Wicklow Vel 827
1996 Thurso - M.Phillips, Wicklow Vel 644
1997 Fraserburgh - P.Dowling, Kilkenny Vel 969
1998 Fraserburgh - J.Bergin, Wexford Vel
1999 Thurso - No Birds in Race Time
2000 Perth - M. Phillips, Wicklow Vel
2001 No Race Due To Foot and Mouth Disease
2002 Thurso - J.Willis, Mallow Vel
2003 Thurso – No birds in Race Time
2004 Sterling – E Waters
2005 Sterling – M & G McCormack
2006 Sterling – D Lyons
2007 Perth – P Nugent
2008 Ballycastle – C Hannigan
2009 Sterling – P Collins
2010 Perth – A Baldwin
2011 Thurso – B Brooks
2012 Thurso – A Baldwin
2013 Thurso – J Donavan
2014 Fraserburgh – J J Hurley & Son
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Prior to the formation of the north road and south road national flying clubs a few years after the end of the Second World War and aside from the races organised from the continental mainland by the old Irish Combine other races had been organised from across the water into Ireland. Paddy 'Cocker' Daly was the first to fly Thurso into Dublin in 1907, and 1911 saw the first pigeon to fly Thurso on the day for McKenny of Drogheda in County Louth. The north route was always a tough task into Ireland and it was another 45 years passing to see a bird fly it again on the day. The legendary Dalys however were strong supporters of south road racing and Paddy Daly was flying Penzance and Landemeau successfully before the advent of war.
National Trophies & Awards - The National trophies such as the Kings Cup was competed for via The Irish Combine (TIC) races before the advent of the northern based national club. Being won twice under the auspices of the Combine by the same fancier i.e. E A Robinson of Shaws Bridge in 1933 and 1937. Another twice winner was A McDowell and Son of Newtownards in 1953 and again in 1973 under the auspices of the INFC (South Road). Since it came into the ownership of the northern based national body the King's Cups first South Section winner was T Speers of Dublin in 1979. Since then Joe Doheny of Dublin has won the Irish National twice. Following the institution of the Hall of Fame and the Gold Medal Award in 1970 and 1982 respectively the first winners of the former award were Sutherland and Devoy of Killyleagh and W M Thompson of Muckamore. The Hall of Fame being awarded for a pigeon who achieves three open results in the Kings Cup. The Gold Medal Award is for the pigeon who registers four times in the open of the Kings Cup and its first recipients in 1982 were G Kirkpatrick of Lisburn and J McCartan of Annalong. Anthony McDonnell of Coleraine registered the longest winner of the Kings Cup from Les Sables in 1963 with 'Bann King' at a distance of 633 miles whereas Jack Patience of Lurgan in 1995 remarkably registered 1st and 2nd Open National in pursuit of the trophy.
The Taoiseach's Cup which was the most sought after north road trophy was competed for the first time in 1949. The race point was Cupar in Scotland and the first winners were Flynn and O'Reilly of Dublin. Since then it has been flown for from many different race-points on the north road and indeed records confirms that three different fanciers have won the cup on three different occasions namely W Whitty of Wexford in '66, '69, '75; T Walsh of Kilkenny in '81,'92,'94; and Marty Siggins of Wexford at a distance of 578 miles from Lerwick won the cup for the first time in 1968 and again in '71 and '79. A noteworthy fact is that the Scottish born Stewart Cant who finished runner up in the South Road National in 1932 in partnership with Christy Daly bred four winners of the Taoiseach Cup. Something that his native country, should be proud of. Text by, Liam O’Comain and Homer.