Newry & Mourne 2022 Season by Jordan Hughes -

[willie reynolds]

Newry & Mourne 2022 Pigeon Racing Season

It’s safe to say that the 2022 Pigeon Racing Season in the Newry & Mourne Area did not disappoint. As many members got their fair share of ups and downs along the way the Newry Pigeon Fraternity surpassed expectations yet again for another super record-breaking Season in 2022.
Before the Racing Season commenced every fancier started preparing for the Racing Season back in December of 2021. Pigeon Fanciers are very like Football Managers. They have their own way of managing their team of birds for specific races, tinkering around with different motivational plans of getting the most out of their bird’s performance levels. The list goes on about the many factors taking into account before a Season has begun. The few months before the Racing Season is arguably the most important factor in having a successful year of racing. Fanciers have time to evaluate their lofts performance from the Season previous like how well their Birds performed for them out of specific race points and did their everyday working system for preparing their birds for races work in their favour. From January onwards the Breeding part of the year commences with Fanciers top pigeons being paired together in the hope of successful young birds from them for racing in the Youngbird Season in the later part of the Year and for Seasons to come.

The Old Bird Season has over 20 Races starting from the second week in April right through until the first week of July. Each race different from the last with new winners looking to be to be crowned each week. Competition in the area is fierce with fanciers needing to be on their A game every day in order to outperform their competition.

The First Race of 2022 got underway on the 16th of April from Tullamore. The Newry & Mourne Area Consisting of Newry & District, Newry City, Ballyholland and Millvale kicked off with a 80 plus mile race to put their pigeons to the test. Gary McLoughlin of Newry & District took the First 3 in his Club and Area up against approximately 1,200 Birds from his Section.

With the first week nerves settled up next was a trip to Roscrea in Co. Tipperary. We often hear of the old saying that Lightning doesn’t strike twice… but in this case it does for Tommy Mooney & Son of Millvale H.P.S. The previous best Pigeon in the Area was an actual gift bird from T. Mooney & Son, this feels like and surely is a win in everyone’s eyes for the lads, but they went ahead and topped it this time themselves Winning 1st Club 1st Section G and 3rd Open out of 18,573 Birds.

Gowran Park in Co. Kilkenny was up next on the Old Bird Programme. The First Newry & District Section Winners of the Season was Gary Hughes & Son of Bessbrook. There are many methods and theories proven over the years in the sport like train hard train often and its hard to beat an experienced pigeon on its day. These theories where all proven wrong on this day when Gary Hughes & Son Won 1ST Club, 1st Section G against 2,705 Birds with an inexperienced yearling pigeon with it being its only 2nd ever race and 9th training toss and not even seeing a hamper till 4 weeks prior to this race

Onto a new month in May with a blockbuster of races still to come fanciers were left eager for more. John J McCabe took home the title of having the best velocity inn the Area from Fermoy in Co. Cork. Another Yearling again this week this time from JJs Lofts on the Armagh Road in Newry. JJ took Millvale by storm

this week putting in a top performance. From 2,927 Birds he finished 6th Section G for his hard work in training his birds to his high standards.
It was Ballyholland H.P.S turn this week to produce a top class performance to be best velocity in the area. It was Cormac O’Hare & Daughter who had the best velocity from this Race point from Corrin. It was only a matter of time before a Ballyholland Fancier turned up trumps and no surprise of it being Cormac. Regimentally training his pigeons is food and water to this fancier as he is a hard task man with his pigeons constantly pushing past performance boundaries that are hard to achieve. 3rd Section G was awarded for the big man against 2,964 Pigeons in the Section.

Another Race from Gowran Park was held on the 21st of May. This time it turned out to be a successful race for the John & Richard Donnelly of Newry City. This race was great showing from the Newry & Mourne Area with a lot of different fanciers filling out the top placings in the N.I.PA Open from 14,314 Birds in Total. The Donnelly Bros click into gear this part of the season in the build up to the Channel Races and French Races. They have proven that they have different horses for different courses indeed. With a 3rd Open Placing 1st Section G and 1st Club.

The First Channel Race of the Year took place on the 28th of May from Talbenny in Wales. These 170 milage channel races gears up fanciers’ pigeons for the following weeks ahead for the French races in late June. It’s safe to say that one particular fancier comes to everyone’s mind when they hear Talbenny is Ron Williamson of Newry & District. Ron says himself that Talbenny is his favourite race to compete in. Ron Won 1st Club, 1st Section G and 5th Open 1,535 Birds in the Area.

Midway into the Season now and the Nationals are in effect starting off with Skibbereen Old Bird National under the I.N.F.C. Another Newry & District Fanciers in top racing form was John F McCabe & Son. With already numerous Club wins and open placings to their name they took home the accolade of Winning the North Section in the I.N.F.C from Skibbereen. Another Armagh Road Loft with it now looking like a hotbed for winning fanciers. J F sets his stall out especially for all the Skibbereen races throughout the Season taking 1st in both races that came to them.

The First weekend in June proved to be Triple Delight for Newry & District Club in particular with 3 Races 3 Different Winners but all under the same club. The Fermoy 5 Bird Championship was up first with members numbers being stripped to a max of 5 Birds past performances of fancier’s birds where no doubt closely analysed for this one. Ron Williamson took top spot in the Newry Centre with his top pick repaying the favour with a another win to add to the Old Bird Season.
Another Race held from Fermoy was an overall race with all pigeons being entered in. Gary McLoughlin was already celebrating this weekend anyway with the Christening Day of his little baby boy. It got even better when Gary clocked the best Velocity and finished 3rd Section G and 10th Open from 6,715 Birds. That made it 2 top velocities in the Area for Gary but I think this one was a good bit more special from the first.

The Third and final Race from that weekend seen the 2nd Talbenny Race take place. Yet again another Celebration that day this time being Gary Hughes & Son with Gary’s son Jordan’s 23rd Birthday that day. It was topped off with the best of gifts Winning 1st Club, 1st Section G and 17th Open out of 8,235 Birds. With only a small team sent of 20 beating Clubmate and Talbenny Specialist Ron Williamson top team of pigeons. A memorable weekend of Celebrations for Newry & District winners.

Another Weekend arrived this time with a double header in store for fanciers. This time with an Inland Race and a Channel Race. The Inland Race was the Annual Skibbereen Yearling National. Another top Fancier winning this time from the Ballyholland Area in Owen Markey. Owen put on a breath-taking performance from this race with many of his pigeons claiming top prize positions. Owen marginally missed out on winning the National Outright but never the less his birds done him justice in picking up top prizes from Skibbereen.

With the 2 Talbenny Races held next up on the Channel races was from Bude in England this time. Ron Williamson regained top spot from the channel races with a great performance mustered up from his loft to get the win. Bude setting up his birds for the French races no doubt but even better with a win to go with it while Finishing 3rd Open 1st Section G from 4,035 Birds that were Liberated in the South Coast of England

Another National this time being the annual Sennon Cove Yearling National took place. Cormac O’Hare & Daughter done the business in this race with their team of yearlings picked from the start of the year especially bred for this race. Cormac Timed and timed well for that matter with more than one trip up and down their designated I.N.F.C Centre. Cormac finished up 2nd Centre along with plenty of other positions for his birds with this race standing them in good stead for the future

With the Channel Racing in full flow the last inland race of the old bird season took place along with the Penzance/Penzance Classic Race. Taking the Final bragging rights in winning the Fermoy Race was John J McCabe. JJ couldn’t have wished for a perfect ending to the inland races. From the 3,396 Birds Liberated JJ Finished 2nd Open and 2nd Section G. This only pushed him onto keep the steak going into the channel racing also.
The Penzance Overall Winner was Ron Williamson of Newry & District. The Portadown man Won 1st Section G and Finished 11th Open from a total of 3,904 Birds. And to make it even better he was 2nd Section G 19th in the Penzance Classic out of 1,697 Birds. He also took home some prize money for his placings. Doing the Double out of Penzance.

With all the preparation done and most of the race programme flown the French Races came into play with first up being the N.I.P.A St.Malo National. This Race was won by Ron Williamson last year and was very nearly won again for the second year in a row. Ron finished up a close runner up in 2nd National along with other placings included.

The one that needs no introduction the I.N.F.C Kings Cup. Everyone wanting to this one and bringing it home was C.McArdle & Sons of Newry City. For only the second time in its history it has been won into the Newry & Mourne Area. Brian and Stephen will never forget the 1st of July 2022. Undoubtedly the biggest accolade any fancier cold ever win is now in their hands thanks to their Kings Cup winning pigeon ‘Wee Eileen’
The Final Race of the Season commenced on the 8th of July bringing the Old Birds to a close. Another Fellow Newry City member in Donnelly

Brothers claimed top spot form I.N.F.C St Malo Friendship National. They finished up 6th National and 2nd North Section. John and Richard where the only fanciers to clock on the day from the 3 French Races a great achievement in itself. Another would follow as they would become I.N.F.C Old Bird Champion for their hard work over the course of the Season from start to finish.

2022 Old Bird Season was one to remember for many fanciers but especially to those in the Newry & Mourne Area. The Area is well represented as you can see from the accolades achieved by not just these fanciers mentioned above but to many that have been close 2nds, Club Winners, Award Winners, Pool Winners and Open Placings each fancier got.

A Big Congratulations to all, Part 2 will follow soon with Newry & Mourne 2022 Youngbird Season Final Report. Jordan Hughes PO.