A look back at the 1950’s & 60’s –

On a recent visit to the NIPA Office in Dromore they had obtained a couple of newspaper cuttings from years ago not unfortunately in a good enough state to scan or copy for publication, looked like the items were published in the old ISN, when it was a tall newspaper. How badly that is missed, the old “Pink” as it was in those day’s  had all the local and cross channel football reports on a Saturday Night, and gave great coverage to the pigeons.

I worked out the INFC Milford Haven race was flown in 1950, the pigeon ring was even published then IUUF-50 also NU-50, no doubt the old metal type. Some 365 members had sent 1,060 birds flying for £872 1s 2d that was the old money. Race winners were Burrell & Son Lurgan Amat doing velocity 444 winning the McGugan Cup and replica, in my record collection I noted Burrell & Son won the YB Nat the season previous when it was flown from Skibbereen.  In the early years it appears we just had the two major INFC races the OB Kings Cup and the YB, there are a lot more cups now at the INFC.

INFC Milford Haven YB Nat 365/1,060 – Burrell & Son (Lurgan Amat) 444 ABCD £94, J & D Coburn (Lisburn) 422 ABCD £75, D McNeilly (Ballyclare) 422 ABCDEF £141, W M Thompson (West Belfast) 418 ABCD £ 48, W Fleetson (Ballinderry) 393 AB £17, J Penney (Carrick) 378 B £13, J McKinty (Whiteabbey) 369 ABC £19, Rodgers & Son (Ballymena) 350 ABCD £27, McCaughey & Hewitt (Ballinderry) 337 ABCD £19, J McCaughren (Ballymena) 336 ABCD £16, Blair & Agnew (Ballyclare) 330 ABCDEF £79, D Skillen (South Belfast) 316 ABC £9, Frazer & Son (Hill Street) 314 ABCD £14, Moulds Bros (Fortfield) 307 ABCD £14, Balmer & Son (Ballymena) 307 ABCD £14, Fitzgerald Bros (Ligoniel) 303 DE Nom £118, N White (Ballinderry) 299 ABC £7, S Rea (Muckamore) 291 ACDEF £57, H Phillips (East Down) 287 C £5, J Boyd (Ballynahinch) 273 DEF £39, J Miskimmon (Duncairn) 257 £1, Hale & Son (Milltown) 257 £1, L Dooley (Fortfield) DE £17, J R W Ferris (-) 251 DE £13, A Gilliland (West Belfast) G £5. Any objections must be in the hands of secretary within 14 days. PS – In this result I left out the shillings and pence.

The second result I worked out was for 1966, the year England won the World Cup at Wembley.

Record Pigeon PAY-OUT

RESULTS of the N I Provincial Amalgamation Dinard pigeon “Derby” for old birds announced to-day establishes a new record in monetary awards. Total cash to be paid out is £5,533 with the Killyleagh loft of A Walkingshaw and Son taking £880 to set up an all-time record win for an individual bird.

The race itself was acclaimed as the best-ever French event with over 180 birds timed in on the day of release and most remaining fanciers recording their entries on the second day.

NIPA Dinard OB Derby 1,402/3,101 – J McKeown Annaghmore 1010 £71, A Walkingshaw & Son Killyleagh 1001 ABCDEF & Nom £629, Adams & Smyth Ballymena 998 ABCD £185, Reynolds & Creighton Queens 997 ABCDE £252, A M & F Russell Dromore 981 ABC £82, Topping & Hylands Donacloney 980 ABCDE £167, S Hughes Newry Clanrye 997 ABCD £78, J & D Coburn Lisburn 977 ABCDE £99, G Connor & Son Dundrum 968 CDEF £155, S Robinson Doagh 967 ABC £20, Smyth & Halliday Milltown 964 ABCDE £66, Tosh Bros Coleraine 962 ABCD £42, S Harbinson Cullybackey 962 ABCD £42, G Glenholmes Cullybackey 960 ABCD £42, D Cannaway Banbridge 958 ABC £21, T & E Mulgrew Dromore WE 955 £33, S Waters Killyleagh 955 ABCDEF £108, D McCarron Lurgan So 955 £9, H Philips & Son Largymore 954 £9, Surgenor Bros Cullybackey 951 ABCD £33, Kelly Bros Annsborough 950 £9, Blair & Agnew Ballyclare 947 ABD £26, R Robinson & Son Larne 946 £9, S Hiles & Son Comber 945 DE £45, R Goudy Muckamore 945 DEF £86, W Erwin Ballymena 944 F £39, W Hodgen & Son Dromore WE 944, J Adamson Gilford 944 £9, A Whiteside & Son Lurgan Am 944 £9, Campbell & Francey Harryville 943 F £29, Devine & Devine Ballymoney 942 F £29, McWhirter Bros Glenarm 941 £9, Downey & Dowds Lurgan Am 941 F £29, Gray & Lowry Ballymena 941 F £29, J Anderson Cullybackey 940 F £29, Gordon Bros & Annett Annalong 939 £9, R Harkness Camlin 938 £9, J Blaney Cullybackey 937 £9, Lecky Bros Lisburn 937 £9, G Barr Ballymena 937 £9, R Weir Loughgall 936 £9, Gibson Bros Killyleagh 936 £9, Corr Bros Lisburn 936 £9, G McCush Lisburn 936 £9, R Topping Hillsborough 936 £9, G Bryans Lisburn 936 £9, R McKnight & Son Milltown 934 £9, T Spratt & Son Dromore 934 £9, J Simpson Ballymoney 933 £9, A H Magill Ashfield 933 £9, C Clements & Son Ballylesson 933 £9, F McNeice Portadown 932 £9, Anderson & Wright Dunmurry 932 £9, McClurkin Bros Camlin 931 £9, D Cannaway Banbridge 931 £9, Gilmore & Whiteside Newcastle 931 £9, L Johnston & Son Invermore 931 £9, S F Keery & Son Lisburn 930 £9, M Kerr & Son Lurgan Am 929 £9, R Chambers Dromore WE 929 £9.

South Section 431/912 – J McKeown Annaghmore 1010 ABCDE £194, A Walkingshaw & Son Killyleagh 1001 ABCDEF & Nom £251, A M & F Russell Dromore WE 981 ABC £35, Topping & Hylands Donacloney 980 ABCDE £81, S Hughes Newry Clanrye 979 ABDC £39, G Connor & Son Dundrum 968 CDEF £79, Smyth & Halliday Milltown 964 ABCDE £79, D Cannaway Banbridge 958 £6, T & E Mulgrew Dromore WE 955 E £14, S Watters Killyleagh 955 F £23, Kelly Bros Annsborough 950 £3, W Hodgen & Son Dromore WE 944 £3, J Adamson Gilford 944 £3, Gordon Bros & Annett Annalong 939 £3, R Weir Loughgall 936 F £18, Gibson Bros Killyleagh936 £2, R McKnight & Son Milltown 934 £2, T Spratt & Son Dromore 934 F £12, A H Magill Ashfield 933 £2, F McNeice Portadown 932 F £9.

Central Section 456/975 – Reynolds & Creighton Queens 997 ABCDE £219, J & D Coburn Lisburn 977 ABCDE & Nom £254, D McCarron Lurgan 955 ABCDE £98, H Phillips & Son Largymore 954 ABCDE £81, S Hiles & Son Comber 945 ABCDE £50, A Whiteside & Son Lurgan 944 ABCDE £36, Downey & Dowds Lurgan 941 F £71, R Harkness Camlin 938 F £53, Lecky Bros Lisburn 937 F £33, Corr Bros Lisburn 936 £5, G McCush Lisburn 936 £3, R Topping Hillsborough 936 F £27, G Bryans Lisburn 936 F £18, C Clements & Son Ballylesson 933 £3, Anderson & Wright Dunmurry 932 F £12, McClurkin Bros Camlin 931 £2, S F Keery & Son Lisburn 930 £2, M McKerr & Son Lurgan 929 £2, D Baxter Queens 929 £2, B McAdam Hillsborough 929 £2.

North Section 457/1,015 – Adams & Smyth Ballymena 998 ABCD £142, S Robinson Doagh 967 CDE £168, Tosh Bros Coleraine ABCD £72, S Herbinson Cullybackey 962 ABCD £50, G Glenholmes Cullybackey 960 £8, Surgenor Bros Cullybackey 951 ABCD £37, Blair & Agnew Ballyclare 947 ABCDEF £155, R Robinson & Son Larne 946 £6, R Goudy Muckamore 945 ABEF & Nom £174, W Erwin Ballymena 944 EF £65, Campbell & Francey Harryville 943 EF £47, Devine & Devine Ballymoney 942 EF £30, McWhirter Bros Glenarm 941 £4, Gray & Lowry Ballymena 941 F £14, J Anderson Cullybackey 940 £2, J Blaney Cullybackey 937 £2, G Barr Ballymena 937 £2, J Simpson Ballymoney 933 £2, L Johnston & Son Invermore 931 £2, W McIlhagga Ballymena 923 £2. Subject to verification as to ownership objections to be with Amalgamation Secretary in writing within 7 days. Cash shown to nearest £1.

Results were a bit different then with just 3 NIPA Sections, and what about the money. Pools & Prizes for Open £2,772, South Sect £812, Central  Sect £976 and North Sect £993, it was a pretty even divide for members and birds over each Section, a bit different now with 8 on the go.

The same cutting had a bit under Brilliant Lester at Leicester – CHAMPION jockey Lester Piggott made a profitable journey to Leicester last night where he rode his five mounts to victory. Piggott started off his five-timer with Bloody Mary at 13-8. His other four were all favourites Hi-Yu (11/8), Old Frame (13/8), Parthian Shot (11/8), and Chestergate (2/15). Two of the winners Bloody Mary and Parthian Shot were trained by his father-in-law Sam Armstrong.

 

 

← J & L Smyth top winners in Grosvenor - NIPA 1st Open/Area Liberation winners etc 2013 – →

About the author

Willie Reynolds

Covering the sport in Ireland for several years, scribe for both BHW & RP and a number of local newspapers including the News Letter (Farming Life Supplement) each Wednesday. Secretary of Ballymena & District for a number of years and currently PO for the Mighty NIPA & INFC. Watch out for the many articles/news items penned by HOMER.

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