Obituary - D B Mairs

[willie reynolds]

Mairs, Bernard

Very sad to report the passing of my Cousin Bernard D B Mairs on 29th December.

Bernard raced in the Ballyclare & District Club with great success during the 70s and 80s topping Section C from the St Malo National on one occasion. He also finished 8th Open from INFC Rennes King's Cup with his great Blue Cock ''Lemond'' named after the Tour de France winner Greg Lemond. Racing to a great double decker flying loft on the Hillhead Road he was always there or there abouts from races of all distances . His first pigeons came from my Father his Uncle Sandy Mairs who ironically, also topped the Section C from the NIPA National being Dinard that year, and also finished 8th in the King's Cup. Bernard thus equalled the achievements of his mentor. Bernard had been out of pigeons for a good number of years but as a past President of the Ballyclare Club always took an interest in current activities.

Campbell McGrugan who won the NIPA St Malo National a few years ago recalls walking down Ballyclare Main Street a week or so later hearing his name being called from the other side of the street, looking across he saw Bernard running towards him and throwing his arms around Campbell in congratulations for such a good win in the top NIPA race. This was typical of the man, a keen competitor but always one of the first to congratulate the winner.

Bernard and my father once went to a pigeon auction in Muckamore where Dad took a fancy to a pigeon, not wanting to be seen bidding for it he arranged to sit directly behind Bernard and let him do the bidding. The plan was that Dad would tap Bernard's shoe with his foot under the seating when he wanted to bid, this went ok as the bidding started but as the price went up Sandy reached a point when he stopped bidding and pulled his foot away from Bernard's heels. With the bids getting ever higher Bernard was still bidding away whereupon Sandy leaned forward and asked Bernard if he was bidding for himself. When he replied no Sandy looked down to see the feet of the man sitting beside him up against Bernard's heels in a very crowded sale room. Fortunately, the pair of them managed not to buy a pigeon they could'nt afford.

Bernard had'nt been in the best of health for some time, but it was a shock to hear the sad news of his passing. Condolences to Florence and the Family.
Milne Mairs PO East Antrim.

D B Mairs – I had heard that Bernard was having a few health problems, but it was still a shock to hear he had passed away in late December. A fantastic racer in his time racing in the hot-bed of long distance racing in East Antrim at the big Ballyclare & District. It was an area I had covered for many years and had a column in the local Times and Advertiser newspapers, the name D B Mairs was featured many times, Bernard also gave us great support in the magazines and books we published over the years and you were always sure to get a visit to the home at Christmas Santa time. Although he has not raced for a long time, he was a past President of Ballyclare & District, his achievements are still talked about locally till the present day. He won many shows in his time and had many prize-winning cattle, he was a great character. Sincere condolences to the family, at this very-sad time. Homer.