Liberations w/e 04/07/20 -

[willie reynolds]

Sunday 28/06/20

Weather delays racing -

The weather yet again interrupted the progress of the old bird season, at the weekend the fourth inland race was due to be flown from Corrin in Co Cork. Latest information was that race marking would take place tomorrow Monday with the race flown weather permitting on Tuesday 30th June, the weather is to be very unsettled for the next 10 days. The NIPA confirmed various details from the Zoom meeting on Sunday evening. The NIPA will race mark weather permitting on Friday 3rd July for a race from Pilmore Beach, this will be a club collection and will 1 hour earlier than your normal time. Barleycove Inland National has been put back till race marking at your allocated centres on Monday 6th July for a possible liberation in Barleycove on Wednesday 8th July.

Talbenny in South Wales has been confirmed for July 11th, to be followed by Skibbereen Yearling National on Tuesday 14th July, Saturday 18th July will be Bude, Saturday 25th July Penzance or Sennen Cove including OB Classic and finally Friday 31st July St Malo Old Bird National. The start date of the young bird season, is to be confirmed at a later date.

There were some requests from individual clubs and some members to be able to use different centres to those already designated, all such requests were turned down. For my own local area it means at Muckamore Centre we have Crumlin & Dist and Muckamore HPS. Harryville Centre will host Kells & Dist, Broughshane & Dist and Harryville HPS. Out in Ahoghill Centre it will be Ballymena & Dist, Cullybackey HPS, Randalstown HPS and Ahoghill Flying Club. Ballymoney Centre will host Rasharkin & Dist and Ballymoney HPS. These arrangements have been put in place to cover the emergency situation relating to Covid 19.

Monday 29/06/20

NIPA - The race advisor has cancelled tomorrows race from Corrin. This is due to an unfavourable weather forecast for Tuesday issued at lunch time today by the Met Office. Fred Russell, Secretary.

East Down Combine - Talbenny & Skibbereen Classic 4th July

The Talbenny & Skibbereen Classic races will both be held on Saturday the 4th July weather permitting. Hampering for Talbenny will take place on Thursday 2nd July from Clubs as normal. Hampering for The Skibbereen Classic will be from Centres on Friday the 3rd July. Collection Times as stated on Entry Form.

There will be an additional Centre at Annsborough Clubrooms.This is to avoid overcrowding at the Crossgar Centre during Covid 19 restrictions. Collection Time for Annsborough Centre will be 8:30pm. Due to Covid 19 restriction members sending to the Skibbereen Classic should leave the Centre when the hampering of their birds has been completed unless they are helping with hampering.

The East Down Combine will commence the Young Bird Season on Saturday the 25th July one week later than originally intended. The Young Bird race programme will be as stated in Year Book and finish one week later.

Tuesday 30/06/20

Tuesday 30th June @ 13.45 - The N.I.P.A. will race mark on Wednesday evening 1st July for a possible release in Corrin on Thursday. Weather forecasts for the weekend of the 4th & 5th July at present indicate rain and strong to gale force winds. Thursday at present is the most suitable day to race.
Usual collection times.

Further Update - The NIPA will be having a race weather permitting at the weekend from a racepoint to be confirmed birds will be collected at your clubs the website will be updated when further info is available.

Wednesday 01/07/20

The East Down Combine weather committee have delayed a decision on Hampering for Talbenny until Thursday Morning.

Irish SR Federation - Marking for Penzance as normal Thursday evening. Truck leaving Northside at 8.00pm and Southside at 9.00pm
2-50 a bird - 16 birds in a crate. Mick.

Thursday 02/07/20

The NIPA birds are in Corrin this morning, weather forecast is the best of the week so far. Liberation expected around 11.00am.

The NIPA are in Corrin where a liberation looks likely we will update the site around 10.30am.

The NIPA have released in Corrin at 10.30 in sunshine with little to no wind wind enroute to be north west

The East Down Combine weather committee have delayed a decision on Hampering tonight for Talbenny until they get further weather updates early this afternoon.

The East Down Combine weather committee have decided not to Hamper tonight for Talbenny. Due to uncertain weather forecasts for the weekend the next update on Hampering for Talbenny & Skibbereen will be on Friday Morning.

ECF (Dublin) Marking tomorrow Friday for a race on Saturday from Pilmore.

The NIPA have decided Not to hold any race this weekend either on Saturday or Sunday due to the possible poor weather conditions and a lack of interest from the majority of clubs but will make plans for Barleycove as follows -

Collections at Centres on Monday morning for a possible release on Tuesday in Barleycove

Derry 9.00am, Coleraine 10.15am, Ballymoney 11.00am, Ahoghill 11.30am, Harryville 12.00, Muckamore 12.30pm,

Coalisland 9.00am, Loughgall 9.30am, Portadown 10.15am, Lurgan 10.45am, Lisburn 11.30am,

Banbridge 12.30 pm, Newry 1.00pm.

Larne 9.00am, Carrickfergus 9.45am, Doagh 10.15am, Ligoniel 11.00am,

Killyleagh 11.00am.

Friday 03/07/20

The East Down Combine will Hamper Tonight (Friday) as scheduled for Skibbereen.

It is intended to Hamper on Saturday Night for the Talbenny Race on Monday. The Liberation time from Skibbereen may mean some alteration to collection times, this will be decided on Saturday Morning when the liberation time is confirmed.

ISRF - No marking tonight for land race. Update tomorrow.

Saturday 04/07/20

IHU Nat FC - No lib possible yet in Penzance update at 11.00am.
Birds are held over in Penzance update in the morning.
A decision on Skibbereen will be made after the lunch time forecast today at 1.30pm.
Marking Tonight Normal pick up times - ISRF Skibbereen.

East Down Combine - Conditions are not suitable at present for a liberation from Skibbereen. Next update will be around 11.30am. Update again at 12.30pm.
The East Down Combine have Liberated in Skibbereen at 12:45 Wind South Westerly.

Ulster Fed will liberate 1.15pm in Skibbereen for the old bird championship - Good luck all competing.

East Coast Federation - No word on lib yet, weather poor at Pilmore racepoint at moment, update later.
ECF birds Out in Pilmore at 11.30am.

NIPA Inland National - Due to a change in weather forecast for both Tuesday and Wednesday the Race controller has brought forward marking to Sunday with the release site now being Skibbereen. We apologise for these changes but on the forcast we received it left us with no other option.

Collection times as follows ;

Derry 1pm , Coleraine 3pm , Ballymoney 3.45 pm , Ahoghill 4.15 pm , Harryville 4.45 pm , Muckamore 5.15 pm

Coalisland 3 pm , Loughgall 3.30pm , Portadown 4.15 pm , Lurgan 4.45 pm , Lisburn 5.30 pm , Dromore 6 pm, Banbridge 6.30 pm Newry 7.30 pm

Larne 3pm , Carrick 3.45 pm , Doagh 4.15 pm , Ligoniel 4.pm. Killyleagh 4 pm .

EDC Sunday Collection Times for Talbenny: Cloughey 08:30, Portavogie 08.45, Ballywalter 09:15, Millisle 09:30, Donaghadee 09:45, Bangor 10:00, Comber 10:30, Dundonald 10:45, Belmont 11.00, Newtownbreda 11:15, Ballylesson 11:30. Killyleagh Central 09:00, Downpatrick 09:15, Crossgar 09.30, Ballynahinch 10:00, Dundrum 10:30, Annsborough 10:45, Annalong 11.15.

Sunday 05/07/20

Irish SR Federation - Birds liberated in Skibbereen at 9.00am in strong west south west wind a fast race expected.

The ISRF birds will be liberated in Penzance at 8.30am in calm winds. Wind on route west south west becoming stronger nearer home.

Irish Homing Union NF Club - Birds are up in Penzance since 8.30am - Best of luck to all.

Monday 06/07/20

The NIPA birds some 4,200 are in Skibbereen for the Old Bird Inland National. For my NIPA Column I will list all the Centre Top 10 Results I can get, dont forget to pass them on and any relevant photos.

419 members have entered 4236 pigeons in the NIPA Skibbereen Old Bird Inland national.

The NIPA are in Skibbereen this morning where a liberation looks likely we will update the website around 10.00am.

The NIPA have released in Skibbereen at 10.00am in a light west wind and in sunshine and the birds cleared well, winds enroute to be variable varying from west to nwest.

The East Down Combine have liberated in Talbenny at 10.00am. Wind West North West.