The 65th AGM of the Irish National Flying Club was held in the Lagan Valley Leisure Plex on Saturday, 28th February. The attendance was approximately the same as last year and the President, Eugene Fitzgerald, after accepting a few apologies asked the members to stand for a minute’s silence in respect for those members who had died during the past year. He paid tribute in particular to the following who had been great supporters of the Irish National Flying Club, Billy Ingle, Jim Erwin, Seamus Lehane, Paul McLoughlin, Johnny Richardson, the 1999 King’s Cup winner Oliver McGillivary, Martin Russell a former secretary of the INFC and all others who passed away in the past year.
The secretary Trevor Topping was invited to read the minutes of the previous AGM which were passed on a show of hands. The Convoyer’s race reports were on the table and available to the members. There were no questions raised in respect of the reports. The Secretary then gave his report.
Secretary’s Report for the 2014 season. - “I would like to extend sympathy to all the families of members and any relatives who passed away since our last AGM on behalf of the Irish National Flying Club.
The 2014 membership totalled 1,992 with 755 members in the south and 1237 in the north. It is good to see the number of members near 2000 and I appeal to all members to promote the club and what it has to offer. The number of members who resigned totalled 137 and new members totalled 248. Total prize and pool money paid out amounted to £117,070.00 over the six races.
I wish to thank on behalf of the members the following sponsors for the 2014 season Bamford’s Top Flight, Frazer’s Animal Feeds., Versele-Laga, Bucktons, Veterinary Services for Birds and Sawyers & Co. Estate Agents. Thanks also to the British Homing World who give a discount on the publishing rates for all results.
The sponsorship prizes are greatly appreciated by the club members.
The club had like all other organisations a mixed seasons racing with some races proving challenging, the St. Allouestre King’ s Cup and Quimper Friendship National were very disappointing. The task of race advisors David Black, Tom Marshall and Willie Hore is to try and have good racing by avoiding poor weather, sometimes the race outcome is not what we expect or want. But I can assure all members that for each race the weather reports are checked and professional advice sought. Race markings and race dates will continue to be changed to avoid long holdovers. I congratulate P.& B. McEvoy partnership of Castlebellingham on their King’s Cup win and all other winners of national races and prize winners. Ronnie Johnston arranged the annual prize distribution to a very high standard once again. The awards were presented by Mr. Ollie Gittins of Bude Cornwall and the club’s press officer Mr. Brendan McLoughlin.
Two Hall of Fame awards were presented and fourteen Merit Awards were presented at the annual dinner. Due to many requests Mr. Sid. Collins is arranging a presentation evening in January 2016 to present the Merit Awards and incorporating a panel of leading fanciers.
I wish to thank the committees of the East Down Combine and Ulster Federation for assistance with transport during the 2014 season along with Paddy Cullen. On behalf of the members I wish to thank all of those committee members and members who helped at the race markings, clock settings, checking’s and race controllers. Jim, Vincent and Brian McCrory for all their assistance. Also thanks to the ETS company representatives for assistance at race markings. The club web site was once again put to good use in 2014, keeping members informed of changes to race markings and provisional results on race day. Full results were available three or four days after the race and thanks to Ian Gill for his assistance. The appeal’s committee of the club had one appeal to hear during the year and thank you for the difficult but necessary role you have within the club. Every member of the club should have full confidence in the appeal’s procedure as the members of this committee will ensure any appeal is given due consideration and dealt with professionally.
I also thank the officials, the committee members, press officers, clock station officials and any other members who helped me during the past season. The 2015 season is fast approaching and I appeal for help at the marking centre if only for a few hours as those members of the committee who faithfully attend the race marking are struggling to cope.
I hope we all have a successful 2015 season”.
Annual Accounts: No questions had been asked prior to the meeting regarding the annual accounts and Ron McKelvey was called to give the Auditors report before the accounts were adopted. Mr McKelvey noted that 2014 was an exceptional year with a profit on the races of £7032 compared to a loss the previous year of £4850. He also pointed out the increase of membership fees and increased birdage despite some bad races before the National races.
Election of Officers: All offices were declared vacant and Eugene Fitzgerald conducted the election. There were no changes at the top with the President, Senior Vice President and Junior Vice President had all completed their second year of a three year term in office.
Officers for 2015 are: Patron Ronnie Johnston, President Eugene Fitzgerald, Senior Vice-President David Black, Junior Vice-President Clifford Browne, Chairman David Black, Secretary Trevor Topping, Treasurer, D Mawhinney, Auditor Ron McKelvey, Press Officer Brendan McLoughlin.
INFC Management Committee 2015:
RPRA representatives: R Stevenson Dromara, W Sawyers Banbridge, R Duddy Ballyclare, L Woodside Ballyclare, J Serplus Laurelvale, C O’Hare Ballyholland, P Smith Ind South, C Lyons Hillsborough & Maze, G Delaney Dromore, G McDowell Kells, W Reynolds Ballymena, D Suitters Doagh, T Griffiths Eastway, P Dunlop Edgarstown, K Shannon Coalisland; INFC Appeals Committee: W Knowles Kingsmoss, J Burrows Eastway, W Kelly St Pauls:
IHU representatives: L McCavery Annalong, B McLoughlin Annalong, G Gaw, East End, A McFarland East End, T Marshall Newtownbreda, B Marshall Newtownbreda, A Milliken Lagan Valley, M Irvine Tyrella, T O’Reilly Andersonstown, R Taylor Shankill, R Trimble Ballynahinch, F Gilmore Comber, C Browne Bangor, P McKeown Dundalk, B O’Leary Cork; INFC Appeals Committee representatives: J Albert Ballylesson, PJ Corcoran Balbriggan, P Harford Balbriggan.
Race Advisers: D Black Dromara, W Hore Wexford, and T Marshall Newtownbreda:
The position of the race convoyer was left to the committee to complete.
INFC Charity Show report: Samuel Briggs, the Show secretary submitted the INFC Charity Show report and said that it was great to see pigeons back in the show again. There were 21 trade stands in attendance and the numbers attending were up on the previous year. Samuel thanked Helen and Bertie Marshall for the work they do with the raffle which saw an increase from 2013. The Charity Auction saw £6,550 raised for 36 pigeons. He thanked Jimmy Hughes for looking after the finances of the show, John Edgar and John O’Neill for the show pens, Tom Marshall for their storage, Jim Braniff for the transport and the judges who gave up their time. £7,000 will be presented to various charities over the coming months. The 2015 Show will be held on Saturday 5th December.
There was a short discussion on drug testing, and liberations before the meeting closed at 3.10pm.
INFC Race programme 2015: Skibbereen Old Bird Inland National Tuesday 26th May; Sennen Cove Yearling National Wednesday 10th June; Grand National Kings Cup St Allouestre Friday3rd July; Friendship National Quimper Friday 10th July; Penzance Young Bird National Wednesday 2nd September; Skibbereen Young Bird National Saturday 19th September:
The next committee meeting will be held in Lisburn & District HPS on Monday 16th March at 7.30pm. The next NIPA Committee Meeting is this Wednesday 4th March in Dromore at 7.30pm.
So it's that time again, the BHW/INFC Single Bird Challenge is back. It's still a free entry with a £2,000 prize fund and a first prize of £500. Everyone who was a member last year should have received a single bird challenge entry form with their statement of accounts, anyone who is joining this year and would like to enter a bird call David Black on (07876) 157706 or (028) 92692713. As usual the closing date is Tuesday 17th March. With twelve prizes of £500, £400, £300, £200, £100 and ten at £50 plus the Joe Doheny Perpetual cup to the winner and Framed Diplomas for the first three. Entry can be returned to Mr David Black, 11 Drumiller Hill, Dromore, County Down. BT25 1EP. Don't miss this free Nomination, tell your mates.
Obituary -
Bill Cowell passed away at the end of last year, it came so quick, on the day he was to be discharged from hospital he had a fall and from that never recovered. When I started to scribe, not yesterday, Bilco was already a legend in the sport, his readings and tips were followed by many. Think I first had contact with him during my time writing for the Pigeon Gazette where he was Editor for a time. A few years back we brought him and his good friend Fred Bloor to Ireland on what was their first ever visit to our country, that weekend they covered a Panel/Moot for Pigeon-Network in Ballyclare and Dublin. Later they had some time at the famous Giants Causeway and had a loft visit with Alan Darragh, and a lovely dinner cooked by Betty. A number of his Pigeon Columns are featured on the www.pigeonnetwork.com website and Bill gave us the exclusive rights to his famous Pigeon Gas. His notes of correspondence will be sadly missed, Bilco will never be forgotten.
More recently we lost Paddy Arthurs at the ripe old age of 93, from Dundalk he was one of the best known fanciers in Ireland. He was a regular attender of IHU Meetings and raced in the Boyne Valley where his son still competes. Syd Collins is involved with the Annual Moot for the INFC and Paddy was a guest on a special night that included some of Ireland’s senior fanciers.
Last November we attended the Bracken Court Hotel in Balbriggan for the annual presentation for East Coast Federation, an organization I must have been covering from its formation. What a record they have had over the years, I was pleased to be seated with special guests from East Down Combine, Chairman Len McCavery and Brendan McLoughlin with his brother Paul. The brothers race in Annalong and Paul was attending to see Brendan who is IHU General Secretary present prizes and again at the Stormont Hotel later in the month for INFC presentation when Brendan again presented the awards. Paul had been ill for a while and passed away in early February. Balbriggan RPC are a highly successful club with many big stars, two were lost during February with Johnny Richardson one of the great characters of the club and past Kings Cup winner Oliver McGillivary. Ollie won the famous Kings Cup in 1999 with his bird Nicole’s Boy, a great achievement for a true gentleman of the sport. Billy Ingle from Dublin I met on several occasions over the years going back a long time, the season before last he attended the ISRF Presentation in the Sarsfield and he recently presented a new cup to the INFC. It’s for 1st ISRF member in the Kings Cup, not sure if we have featured this one yet but we will.
Seamus Lehane a big star for the Irish Homing Union lost his battle with illness in February as well, for 30 years he had been General Secretary of the Southern Region IHU. In that time he had brought the organization into the computer age, and by himself set up all lofts for GPS and loft locations. He looked after the stray bird problem, and I heard nothing but good reports of his help, a gentleman in every respect who will be sadly missed. I was also sorry to hear about passing of Jim Erwin, I met him through the INFC Committee and when I had some contact with Largymore in Lisburn. Dedicated to his work was Jim, and very friendly.
Jim Erwin: Jim passed away suddenly after a period of poor health on Tuesday 24th February. Pigeons played a big part in Jim's life and he was a regular attender at the annual show of the year in Blackpool where he met up with his many friends across the UK. As a committee member of the INFC for many years Jim looked forward to the National Race markings were he put in a lot of work. He seldom missed a committee meeting and always put thought into any matters he raised or had an opinion on. For many year’s he lecturered at Belfast Technology College Millfield in Engineering. Burial took place in his native Dromore in County Down. He will be sadly missed.
Paul McLoughlin: Just been informed of the death of Paul McLoughlin a brother of Brendan McLoughlin INFC press officer. Paul was part of the long established McLoughlin Bros, members of the competitive Annalong H.P.S. Paul had bravely got on with life despite serious health problems with great courage and dignity. He attended the East Coast Federation and Irish National Flying Club presentation evenings last November with Brendan who was presenting the prizes. On behalf of the members of the INFC we extend our deepest sympathy Brendan and to the family. Trevor Topping INFC Secretary.
De Scheemaecker Trophy
Noel De-Scheemaecker has been a great friend to the Irish National Flying Club and has made a number of visits to Ireland. During one of his visits to Tom Marshall he suggested that he would like to present a trophy to the INFC and when put to the INFC Committee it was accepted. Noel suggested that the trophy be an Average Trophy and selected Penzance Young Bird. The De-Scheemaecker Trophy was to be awarded to the fancier with the Best 2 Bird Average from the YB Grand Nat, usually flown from Penzance. The first winners were Kelly Bros of Malahide in 1992 followed by Martin & Fred Russell in 1993. The De-Scheemaecker is very difficult to win and after 20 years no fancier has managed to win it twice and no member of the East Down Combine of Ulster Federation has managed to win it! Annaghmore have won it twice through Willie Neill in 2005 and then Glen Buckley & Son in 2006. The Mid Ulster Area had a good record in winning the trophy with Ronnie Williamson of Bondhill collecting the award in 2007 followed by Davie Calvin of the same club in 2008. The trophy has gone to the South Sect five times, the last being in 2012 when the winner was Derek Cummins of Finglas. The De-Scheemaecker Trophy was won last year by Mr & Mrs Colin Hayes of Ballyclare and he came ever so close to winning it for the second time with only Jeff Greenaway finishing ahead of the Hayes loft. Jeff enjoyed another great season and is again Sect D Fancier of the Year and at the highest level the loft won three INFC trophies.
1992: Kelly Bros, Malahide –
1993: M & F Russell, Dromore –
1994: W McIlroy, Ballymena & Dist –
1995: T Boyle, Dublin –
1996: Strecker Family, Malahide –
1997: J Eagleson & Sons, Harryville –
1998: J Brown, Dollingstown –
1999: Higginson & McMeekin, Kingsmoss –
2000: Not won
2001:
2002: S Corrigan, Loughgall –
2003: T Wilson, Gilford –
2004: Livingstone Bros, Harryville –
2005: W G Neill, Annaghmore –
2006: G Buckley & Son, Annaghmore – Vel 1006
2007: R Williamson, Bondhill – Vel 759
2008: D Calvin, Bondhill – Vel 1092
2009: Donnelly Bros, Newry City – Vel 962
2010: S McLaughlin & Sons, Glenavy & Dist – Vel 1260
2011: J Kelly & Sons, Dromore – Vel 1290
2012: D Cummins, Finglass RPC – Vel 1386
2013: Mr & Mrs C Hayes, Ballyclare & Dist – Vel 1440
2014: J Greenaway, Dromore – Vel 1138
Mr & Mrs Hayes were winners in 2013, presentation by Syd Collins.
Jeff Greenaway was winner in 2014, presentation by Brendan McLaughlin.
