Our old bird season has come to an end with our penultimate race the Grand National Kings cup. This race has proved to be a very testing race over the last few years with 2019 being no exception. For the second year running the East Coast Federation has had two winners of the much Coveted hall of fame award. This is awarded to a pigeon timed three times in the national result from the Kings Cup, it’s hard enough to get a pigeon to do it once but three times these are gallant pigeons. Last year’s winners were McKeown &McEvoy of Castlebellingham & Fintan Moran of Malahide well done lads on winning one of the top awards in pigeon racing .I would like apologise to you both and also to all our open winners as I didn’t do any write ups last year, this was due to the passing of my mother in November after a short illness a very hard time for me and my family. Our two winners this year are Joe Doheny of Malahide & Parkin & Cairns of Castlebellingham so hers a few words on both fanciers.
Sean Parkin & Pat Cairns race in two clubs, Dundalk & Castlebellingham , Castlebellingham with the East Coast fed & Dundalk with the N.I.P.A. Pat moved to Dundalk in the early eighties from Gillford in Northern Ireland where he raced in partnership with his Brothers Seamus, Sean & Eamon under the name Cairns Bros. Pat & Sean have raced together for over 34 years and in that time became one of the top lofts in the East Coast Federation. These men formed a great friendship and a winning partnership. It was Pat who pushed the Sean towards distance racing and they obtained pigeons from Maurice Wilkinson of Northern Ireland to whom pat was a great friend with, these pigeons put the partners on the winning path. In 1987 they were 5th open I.N.F.C. Friendship National & 1st E.C.F, 3rd open I.N.F.C. Yearling national in 2009. One of Pats main ambitions was to win a hall of fame and this year they had one set up for it. Sadly three weeks prior to the king cup Pat passed away, leaving a great sadness in the pigeon world. This was a very tough time for Sean and pigeon racing was the last thing on his mind. Sean was not going to send the hen but his friends encouraged him to send her and the rest is history.
Their Hall Of Fame winner is a smashing pencil blue hen now named “Patsy’s girl”, her record on the channel can only be described as outstanding. She was 2nd club, 32nd Fed Penzance in 2015. 3rd club, 11th fed & 58th Open St Alloustre kings cup in 2016. She was 1st club Talbenny 53rd fed, 3rd club, 18th Fed Penzance, & 3rd club 8th open E .C.F 19th open I.N.F.C Kings cup in 2017. She was 29th open E.C.F Talbenny, & 1ST Club, 4th fed, 34th Open I.N.F.C Kings Cup 2019. Her preparation this year was Thurles & two Fermoy’s down the land plus Talbenny across the channel. Sean would normally send her to Bude or Penzance but as to be expected with pat passing away Seans heart just wasn’t in it. She had only one training spin after Talbenny with John Flood of about 30 miles to Malahide before she was sent to the Kings Cup. She was sent hatching 10 days and was timed after fourteen & half hours on the wing to win their hall of fame. The breeding of Patsys Girl is Delbar x Maurice Wilkinson, the Delbars were obtained from Ian Axe of Axeholme loft. Well done Sean on a great performance and on behalf of the federation we send our deepest sympathies to you and Pats family on the loss of Pat.
Our next winner is one of Irelands top National fanciers Joe Doheny of Malahide. Joe also races with the East Coast Federation with whom he has topped the fed many times. Joe tells me he timed his first pigeon from France back in 1965 and since then has spent a life time putting together a family of pigeons to compete at the top level of national racing. His record can only be described as outstanding, racing only a small team of birds. The highest entry Joe would send to France would be a team of 6. His wins with the I.N.F.C. are as follows; Joe has won the Kings cup twice and was 2nd open to Liam McCall in 2017. He is also the winner of the Miller gold cup twice and was runner up on three occasions. He also placed 2nd open I.N.F.C YB Penzance and has been I.N.F.C champion twice, now adding a Hall Of Fame to this already bulging C.V.
“The Beast” Joe Dohenys Hall of Fame Winner 2019
Joe has named his Hall of Fame winner “THE BEAST” as he is the most protective pigeon on the nest Joe has ever had, sometimes marking Joes hand with his temper. “The Beast” is a cracking 6 year old check cock with a very impressive racing career. As a young bird He had 3 races, as a yearling he flew Talbenny & Penzance. Than as a two year old he flew two channel races and was sent to the Friendship national, arriving home at midday on the 2nd day just outside the result. As a three year old he again had two channel races and was then sent to the Kings Cup finishing 65th Open. The following year as four year old he again had his two channel races and then onto the King cup where he finished 67th open. As a 5yr old Joe gave him 4 inland races plus the Kings Cup returning at 7am on the fourth morning just outside the 3 day race time. This year as “The Beast” had three 25 mile tosses prior to racing plus four inland races and a Bude, he was then sent to the Kings Cup finishing 112th Open and gaining a place in history winning the Hall of Fame. Joe also timed a second pigeon this year finishing 124th open, Joe has named this cock “THE QUIET MAN” and this cock has also 4 national positions from France. Joe would not do much training with his team as they exercise very well at home. He also tries to give his team 3 land races prior to the channel sending them on the channel.
As the saying goes the apple never falls far from the tree and “The Beast” is no exception. His sire is “Robbie” who was the winner of 1ST Open I.N.F.C Friendship National for Joe. He was also 51st Open and 19th open in, all in three consecutive Friendship Nationals! Not many fanciers would race a national winner again. The dam was a late bred who flew the channel many times with her best position being 10th Open Friendship National in 2010, as you see the beast is steeped in French blood. I would like to congratulate Joe on a great performance and I am sure I will be covering him again soon in my reports.
I Hope to cover all our open winners for 2019 over the winter months so if you can get in touch with me with your information I will put together a report.
Ken Guildea, P.R.O East Coast Federation.
Phone 01 8415785 mobile 086 0819062