Historic Night at the INFC Annual Dinner
The Irish National Flying Club returned to the plush Stormont Hotel for their Annual Dinner
Dance and Prize Distribution on Friday 28 th November 2025. It’s been very much a long-
standing relationship with the INFC hosting their Annual Dinner at what is one of Northern
Irelands Top Hotels. This year again justified that long-term arrangement with, yet another
truly outstanding 4 course meal enjoyed by the 160 who were in attendance.
The highlight for many in the Prize Distribution calendar, the function room was filled with
Irelands pigeon elite accompanied I might add with a superb turnout of Ladies perhaps the
largest in recent years, which is great to see. I was privileged to be sitting with a man who
never seems to age Robin Duddy and wife Pat, the brothers who never fail in most of the
National races Gregory Bros, (Tommy & Roger) of Rathnew, Dublin and the Turkington
men, Dessie and young Robert who kept the craic alive, a sponge off pigeon knowledge
Robert is. Big shout out to the lady of the house Ann, who currently is in hospital, and we
wish her a speedy recovery.
2025 was a year of change for the INFC, opting during the year to set up a marking station in
Southern Ireland for the first time, making it somewhat easier for the fanciers to get the
pigeons away rather than having to travel up to Portadown. Sandyhill Pigeon Supplies was
the site agreed, and personally having been to Henry Byrnes shop at Sandyhill on numerous
occasions, simply no better man or location. For sure guaranteed endless craic for the
fanciers. Hopefully moving forward membership will be increased with this marking station
now in place. Furthermore, after a sustained period in office Trevor Topping decided to give
up the Secretaries role at the AGM. Emerging as the new Secretary/s was Gary Donaldson
from Portadown, former INFC National Champion and to look after the hopefully increasing
numbers in the South of Ireland Nigel Gordon was also installed.
INFC President Wesley Sawyers was compere for the evening and just after 7pm welcomed
all in attendance and called upon Brendan McLaughlin to say grace prior to the excellent
meal being served. I arrived well in advance of the dinner and had a chance to walk the
length of the prize table and room, joined shortly after by Secretary Gary Donaldson, who
explained in length how the presentation would proceed and how the presentation table had
been set out to achieve same, it is such an array of Cups perhaps one of the largest, even
Tommy Gregory at my table commented on the vast array and the organisation that goes in to
getting it all sorted.
The three-course meal was served without delay by the very professional team that you
would expect of a Hastings Hotel, clean plates all round was the order of the night and with
prompt service it allowed for the lengthy presentation to begin well on time. To start compere
for the evening and current President of the INFC Wesley Sawyers welcomed all in
attendance, before going further Wesley mentioned the absence this year of Ronnie Johnston,
I have to say even the mention of his name drew a round of applause from all in attendance
(Ronnie Johnston is Mr INFC in my opinion, the knowledge, the grace, the elegance, flows
from the minute he enters any room, a gentleman in every way and an encyclopaedia with his
endless knowledge off the INFC he has served every position within the organisation with
utter professionalism . Wesley asked all in attendance to stand for a toast to INFC Patron
Ronnie Johnston with a huge round of applause. Introducing the Top Table, it included
Secretary Gary Donaldson and Wife Amy, President Wesley Sawyers and Wife Catherine,
Alan Bamford and Pauline from Bamfords Feeds (Chief Guests for 2025) and completing the
top table Secretary Nigel Gordon. Wesley went on to congratulate the Committee Officials
and Committee members for all their hard work over the season including all members who
assisted at the race marking over the year describing it, as not one of the easiest weather wise.
Praise also was bestowed on new Secretary Gary Donaldson for his excellent work over the
year and indeed with the organising of the dinner and prize distribution assisted by wife Amy
and extended thanks also to Roy for his help.
Wesley passed the Mic over to Chief Guest for the evening Alan Bamford, who began with
thanking the organization for the invite, congratulating all the winners over the 2025 season.
The Bamford family have now been involved one way or another supporting the INFC for the
last 20 years as Alan reflected going back to having a stall at the Kings Hall Charity Show.
Alan went on in his very informative presentation to explain how Bamfords found their feet
with regards the making of pigeon corn in the 1960’s, the history of pigeon fanciers within
his family and indeed the length of time they have been in business and continuing evolution
off feeding to meet the fanciers needs, he also spent some time addressing the dwindling
numbers and praised a number of initiatives currently in England that are going forward
educational wise targeting areas that hopefully will get new members interested in the sport
of pigeon racing, it’s a subject Alan spoke very passionately about and he encouraged the
RPRA to look further at new ideas to try and encourage future generations into to the sport
and indeed encouraged each and every member to engage with the youth and younger where
possible to make sure the sport continues.
Alan Bamford was called up by Wesley to present the awards. Firstly, as is statue the former
2024 Kings Cup Winner Dinny Kinsella of the Gorey RPC was called up to present the new
and current 2025 Kings Cup winner Johny Murtagh of Ballyholland. The rest flowed from
there, simply huge congrats to Secretary Gary Donaldson who executed the presentation as if
he had been doing it for years and compere for the evening Wesley Sawyers executed his
duties with his excellent usual grandeur.
Johny Murtagh makes history within the INFC not only with his very impressive CV 1 st
Kings Cup twice, 2 nd Kings Cup, 4 th Friendship National in very recent years, history was
made this year as he is the first Kings Cup Winner to be the overall National Champion in the same year 2025.
Forum Report click here – https://www.pigeonnetwork.com/spam/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?t=6200
Comments are closed