Farming Life - BHW - RP - 22/01/21
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2021 6:08 pm
Ballymena & District history update -
From last week let me follow on in the presentation season of 1976, last time we covered the New North Flying Club followed one week later by the presentation of awards for Ballymena & District held at the same venue. This time upwards of 70 members and guests of Ballymena & District HPS met in the Adair Arms Hotel in Ballymena for the club’s annual dinner and prize giving. The principal guests were Mr & Mrs Ernie Leckey from Cullybackey, Mr & Mrs David Campbell fron Harryville and secretary of Harryville Mr Michael Reynolds.
Club Chairman Mr Tommy Harper thanked the members for attending the dinner and apologised for the Mayor and Mayoress Councillor and Mrs G Sloan who had to attend the Remembrance Service held in the County Hall. Mr Harper also apologised for the absence of Mr & Mrs Jack Irvine from Ballyclare, Mr Irwin was a well-known figure in the pigeon fraternity and also one of the few men in the pigeon fancy to hold a Hall of Fame Diploma. He was a real sportsman, for time out of number he has auctioned pigeons for charity and declined to accept any fee for the work.
Mrs Jean Campbell presented the winning members with their cash awards. She was assisted by club secretary Mr Bobby McAdorey. Mr Tommy Harper was highest prize-winner followed by Smyth Bros, Mr & Mrs Swann, Messrs William Erwin, R McCallum & Son and George Barr. Congratulating those members on their success Mr David Campbell said it was a great tribute to all the members who had worked so hard during the year and to see them lifting the lions share of the prizes. Mr Harper then thanked the Mayor and Mr George Barr for presenting the club with two new trophies. Novice Trophy and the Show Shield.
Later when the trophies were awarded by Mrs Leckey , Tommy Harper was presented with 12 of the 22 prizes. The club Chairman concluded the round of after dinner speeches by thanking the Treasurer Mr Billy Smyth for his work during the season and the clock committee and those who had been involved in the running of the club. He also paid tribute to Secretary Bobby McAdorey who because of a slight illness was not able to do as much work for the club as he had been able to do in previous years. Mr Harper added he hoped to see him back at full strength next year.
Trophy winners: J W & T Harper won the following – Guardian Trophy for Dinard, Best Ave Weymouth & Dinard, OB Ave Cup, Combined Ave, Weymouth OB Cup, Dinard OB Derby Cup, McIlwaine Cup, Ogilvie Cup, France Nat Cup, Maternaghan and O’Rourke Cups, D Kerr Okehampton Cup, W McIlroy Haverford Cup, and Flamingo Cup. H Moore & Son won Haverford (1) Cup. G Barr won YB Nat Cup, YB Derby Talbenny Cup, and Show Cup. J Rodgers & Son won YB Skibbereen Derby Cup. M/M Swann won YB Average. Ronnie Muir won the Mayors Novice Cup.
During the 1976 season Ballymena & District club have done well for themselves. In the first four races of the season the fanciers won the Section B twice and were runner-up. In Weymouth where only three birds were clocked in Sect B Ballymena & District had three and in Dinard OB Derby when inly one day bird was recorded from France into Sect B this also came to Ballymena & Dist to the J W & T Harper loft who took 1st Sect B & 4th Open and in the Championship 3 Bird 1st Sect & 1st Open plus £1,458.
Ballymena & District lofts also took the first two positions in the New North races with Tommy Harper winning Weymouth £768 and the runner-up William Erwin. Dungarvan YB race was won by Bobby Law £122 and runner-up Smyth Bros who won £65 and the Clock Nomination. In the Rennes Nat Kings Cup Tommy Harper was 8th Open INFC and J Rodgers & Son finished 14th Open. This is the third consecutive year the partnership of J Rodgers & Son have clocked in to be well placed. In the young birds T Lowry & Son won three of the early races Dublin (1) & (2) and Arklow (2), George Barr was to take 9th Open in the NIPA Derby and 7th Open in the Penzance YB National. Mcclintock Bros won two young bird races and club members done well in the YB Derby from Skibbereen J Rodgers & Son, William McIlroy and Smyth Bros were 6th, 8th and 11th Sect B respectively.
Ballymena & Dist HPS 2005 season -
With this report I have a collection of photos from the annual dinner and prize night of 2005 held at Ballymena Bowling Club, it was in my early years as Secretary and the other officials at the time included President Billy Smyth, Vice President Ronnie Muir, Chairman Robert Graham, Ass Secty Brian O’Rawe, and Treasurer Willie Owens. It was the year that George Barr was Highest Prize-winner and special guests from Millisle in County Down were John & Jean Hollinger, and John supplied music at the event. It was also early years in office for Willie Owens and I have to report the very sad news that Willie passed away recently in the Antrim Area Hospital, he had been out of the birds for a number of years but still kept in touch. He was always eager to help and quickly took on the role of Treasurer and in that time done a power of fund raising, we well remember the sales held in the Broughshane Community Centre. At club level he was involved with everything and gave me great support while a club member and took part in all events. The first time I met him was at a sale in Chimney Corner, he complained about no coverage given after he had won 1st in Mid Antrim, he joined Ballymena after that, and it was always said he just joined for the publicity. He was a fantastic young bird racer and I always used to say we would need to get him remeasured for the loft which was still in Broughshane. On one occasion he took both Rosie and my-self on a history visit to his favourite City of Londonderry, it was a very interesting visit indeed, and I do well remember the rain most of that day. He planted bushes in our front garden many years ago and these will be a constant reminder of his many visits. In his working life he was a Water Bailiff he had some wonderful stories from those days, they don’t make them like Willie anymore. From all the officers and members in Ballymena and on behalf of his many friends in the pigeon fancy sincere condolences to wife Sandra, son Barry, daughter Julie and the entire family circle at this very-sad time. I have also had the news that Harry McCloy from Cullybackey had passed away, he had been in a Care Home for a few years recovering from a major operation. When I started to train the birds the H & R McCloy loft just outside Cullybackey was a first stop in the village and he seldom missed a days training. It was a, husband and wife team, Harry & Rosie always raced a good bird and the loft won many positions, Rosie had sadly passed away before I started calling for the birds to go training, Harry continued to race under H & R McCloy and continued to collect awards including on one occasion the NIPA Bronze Diploma from France. Condolences to young Harry, his wife Jennifer and the entire family circle.
I am still waiting on some update from local clubs, if you wish to be covered please get in touch, remember every little helps. At the present time, the whole of Northern Ireland is in a control zone following outbreaks of Bird Flu. My NIPA scribe partner Stephen McGarry was admitted to hospital in the last week and we all look forward to him getting back to full health just as soon as possible, same goes for Jim Ramsey from Derry who had surgery in the last week.
Premier Club in Coleraine -
Coleraine Premier up in the North West have just published a list of the 2020 season race winners and I see a return to the top for Sean Diamond now raving on his own but for a lifetime a member of the high-flying Diamond Bros who dominated the results locally for many years over many seasons back in time. J L Madden and Jimmy Hanson have dominated more recently, and I see the Old Hand himself Anthony McDonnell another loft at a time when I started to scribe was indeed the loft to beat, winning the Sect A Fancier of the Year on numerous occasions. Now going back before my time Anthony McDonnell still holds the record in the Kings Cup winning the race in 1963 with “Champion Bann King” 1st Open INFC Les Sables at 633 miles., might never be beat. Great to see the loft still winning races in 2020, Anthony has held many positions in the sport and is a Life Vice President in the NIPA. My thanks again to Mervyn Eagleson who conducted the research for me on the Coleraine Premier race season, and with this report I have included a photo from the past, big presentation for Coleraine Premier and one as well for Coleraine & County Derry RPS.
Races winner for 2020 in Coleraine Premier HPS - Sean Diamond won 5 races, J L Madden won 4 races, Anthony McDonnell won 3 races, Jimmy Hanson won 2 races, Michael Howard & son won 2 races, T & J McDonald won 2 races, and Dessie Quinn won 1 race.
Old Birds:
07/06/20 Tullamore 16/632 - Newton & Quinn vel 1396 1st Coleraine Triangle; 13/06/20 Gowran Park 15/602 – S Diamond vel 1241 2nd Coleraine Triangle; 20/06/20 Corrin (1) 15/528 – S Diamond 1st & 2nd Vel 1941 1st & 2nd Coleraine Triangle 3rd Section A & 20th Open NIPA 775/24,284; 02/07/20 Corrin (2) 15/460 – J L Madden vel 1344 1st Coleraine Triangle. 06/07/20 Skibbereen Inland National T & J McDonald 1310 1st Coleraine Triangle. 11/07/20 Talbenny 16/256 – J Hanson vel 1330 1st Coleraine Triangle 1st Section A. S Diamond 3rd Section A. 15/07/20 Skibbereen Yearling National 12/135 – S Diamond vel 1246 1st Coleraine Triangle. 19/07/20 Bude 11/126 - J Hanson vel 1074 1st Coleraine Triangle,25/07/20 Fermoy Comeback S Diamond 1st & 2nd vel 1468 1st Coleraine Triangle; 30/07/20 St Malo OB French National 14/61 - A McDonnell vel 1486 2nd Coleraine Triangle.
Young Birds:
08/08/20 Mullingar Area Lib (1) 10/452 – M Howard & Son 1st & 2nd vel 1374 1st & 2nd Open NIPA 111/4025 J L Madden 3rd & 4th, 6th & 7th Open, Diamond Bros & G McLaughlin 5th Open NIPA; 15/08/20 Mullingar Area Lib (2) 11/521 – J L Madden 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Club vel 1310, 1st, 2nd & 3rd Open NIPA 121/3876; 23/08/20 Roscrea 10/335 – M Howard & Son vel 1492; 29/08/20 Gowran Park 12/325 – A McDonnell vel 1127; 06/09/20 Fermoy (1) 6/175 – T & J McDonald vel 1268 1st Coleraine Triangle; 12/09/20 Talbenny YB National 5/34 – A McDonnell vel 1194 3rd Coleraine Triangle; 12/09/20 Tullamore Comeback 8/164 – J L Madden vel 1858 3rd Coleraine Triangle. 19/09/20 Fermoy (2) Sean Diamond 1st, 2nd & 3rd club vel 1173 5th Coleraine Triangle; 19/09/20 Fermoy 5 Bird J L Madden vel 1071 5th Coleraine Triangle.
Portadown Charity presentation - On behalf of the late Oliver Jackson from Bondhill, from wife Eleanor, daughter Wendy, son Gary and local fancier Paul Dunlop. We would like to thank everyone who purchased pigeons to support the sale of Oliver’s pigeons for the Cancer Research Charity. Also a special thanks to Steven Lester and his wife Margaret for advertising the sale on Facebook, an Gary Donaldson for contacting cancer research. The total amount raised was a massive £3,040, another champion effort in support of a local charity.
Jim Logan of Ballyclare - Remembering a master fancier -
Back in the early 1960s quite often on a Saturday night around 11 o'clock there would be a knock on our back kitchen window and we would look to see two faces smiling through the glass. The Mairs family at that time lived in Millvale on the edge of Ballyclare in a terraced house on the Ballynure Road. Most of us these days would be a bit wary of someone knocking our window at that time of night, but back then when these two faces appeared the shout from inside was come on in the door's not locked. In would come Jim Logan and Tommy Dodds usually in good form thanks to an evening spent in Baird's Pub at the bottom of Ballyclare Main Street, about half a mile away. We children vacated the sofa to allow the pair to sit down as even without visitors seats were at a premium in our family which eventually numbered eleven including our parents. Thankfully we had a front parlour which was very handy when the living room got a bit crowded, but when Jim and Tommy came on Saturday nights the younger children were by that time in bed having just had their weekly bath.
When all children including myself were safely up the wooden hill the talk soon turned to pigeons, going on till the early hours of the morning before my father had to run Jim home in his car, with Tommy walking on up the road a hundred yards to where he lived with his sister and brother-in-law, who were the parents of Michael Fasciolo who currently races in partnership with Noel Higginson in the Ballyclare & District Club.
Moving on to 1963 and having left school at 16 I got my first job as an apprentice joiner in the joinery workshop of James Logan & Sons, with one of the sons being Jim. My father obviously played a big part in getting me the job being a good friend of Jim, who was a very good joiner himself , although he was the main son in the building firm in a white collar capacity. Back then Logans built large housing developments in both East and West Belfast, with the joinery shop on the Hillhead Road having five benches with a joiner and apprentice at each. Although the work was usually making sets of stairs and kitchen cupboards I occasionally got the job of making pigeon nestboxes for Jim's loft. These were made of the best of timber, carcases of jointed tongue & groove flooring sanded nice and smooth on a large belt and table sander with fronts of square dowells the holes of which were cut with a heavy duty mortice machine. He raced at that time with his son Ron in the Ballyclare club but it was some years later after the building firm closed that Jim got more time to devote to the pigeons, and success soon followed.
He returned to his trade of joinery setting up a workshop about a 100 yards from his bungalow on the Hillhead Road, specialising in hardwood windows working mainly on his own. Needless to say his lofts were self built the main one having a corridor that enabled him to be one of the first in the area to fly the roundabout system. Some top results followed not only in the Ballyclare Club, but in the Derby and National races.
The Nipa French National can be a very difficult race with a lot of bad ones over the years, the worst I recall being only 9 home in 1963. Today bronze, silver and gold awards are awarded for pigeons appearing on the result sheet twice, three times and four times for the gold award. Jim Logan raced a pigeon called Clare Express that won prizes in four of these races but unfortunately there were no gold medals awarded in those days, but what a pigeon it takes to do that, one that is worthy of being called a champion. In 1993 he finished 2nd Open in the race with a 2 year old Blue WF Hen and this coupled with 41st in the King's Cup saw him awarded a diploma for best average in the two races.
In the INFC one of the top awards is the Triple Crown awarded to a pigeon winning Open prizes in the Penzance Young Bird National, Sennen Cove Yearling National and King's Cup in consectutive years, it takes a very good pigeon to do that, and some years none are won. Jim gained one with his pigeon Anniversary Clare that was 115th Penzance as a YB, 106th Sennen Cove as a Yearling and was then set up for the last leg in the 2000 Kings Cup from Redon, and what a result when the pigeon finished 3rd Open Jim's best ever position from the top race in the country.
His best known pigeon was Champion Blue Jean, a beautiful Blue Hen that won the coveted INFC Hall of Fame award for three times in the Open prizes in the King's Cup. This hen turned out to also be a top breeder with a lot down off her winning not only for Jim but for quite a few other fanciers.
In 1992 he called with me to make him some small wooden grids for a set of perches, and when I finished I took them over to his loft. When he asked about the cost I said there was no need to give me money and that I would be happy enough for him to breed me a young bird sometime. With that he said come on round to the Young Bird loft as he had just weaned some youngsters the previous day. On entering the section there were a couple of dozen lovely young pigeons on the floor, and he told me to take my pick. Taking a quick look I pointed to a very nice Blue Hen that took my fancy,and when I looked up Jim had a broad smile on his face. Enquiring why he was smiling he told me I had just picked a daughter of Blue Jean his Hall of Fame winner, whereupon I told him this bird was worth far more that what he owed me for the grids, and he could give me any of the other young birds instead. Being the man he was Jim wouldn't here of that and insisted that I take the blue hen, which left me feeling as if I had just been greatly over paid for my work.
I can't remember what she was mated to but that hen bred me a Blue Cock that finished 49th in the 1995 Rennes Kings Cup, something that greatly pleased Jim when I let him know.
Jim Logan was a clever pigeon man and was using the Roundabout method back when most of us thought that roundabout was something children played on in the park. Way back in the 1960s he was racing widowhood to a doubledecker flyin loft, controlling the birds with a silent dog whistle when he wanted them to trap. Deeplitter was something that most didnt use back then but Jim was bringing limestone straight from the quarry in Glenarm to spread on the floor of his loft. A deep thinker about the sport he was always using up to date methods and probably devising some systems of his own. He will go down in my book as one of, if not the best ever pigeon man in the Ballyclare area. How many fanciers have won an Nipa Gold Medal, 2nd Open Nipa St Malo National, an Infc Triple Crown and a Hall of Fame award plus 3rd in the King's Cup, and thats not to mention the very many other prizes he won over the years in Club and National racing. Milne Mairs.
Irish Nat FC Update - The 2020 Irish National Flying Club season was totally written off due to the Covid -19 virus, which led to restrictions on the numbers of people gathering together. With no viable options available it was disappointing for the officials, committee and members that the six planned races had to be cancelled.
The management committee have agreed and approved that no subscriptions will be due in 2021 for those who were members in 2020.
New members are most welcome and the fee is £25.00 or € 30.00 if you belong to a club and make application through your club, for any new members who are paying individually fee is £35.00 or €42.00. Application forms are on the website http://www.infc.co.ul
No Annual General Meeting can take place at present due to the restrictions in place for Covid – 19.
The annual accounts have been audited and circulated to the management committee. The accounts will not be sent out at present to members, but will be before the Annual General Meeting when one is arranged at a later date. (Any member who requires a copy of the accounts urgently please email infcpigeons@btinternet.com and we will forward them to you).
With no Annual General Meeting all officials and management committee’s will remain in place for 2021.
The 2020 proposed race programme will also remain with revised 2021 dates. This will once again be subject to any restrictions in place. Skibbereen Old Bird Tuesday 25th May, Sennen Cove Yearling Nat Wednesday 9th June, St Allouestre Kings Cup Friday 2nd July, Plougastel-Daoulas or Lamballe Friendship Nat Friday 9th July, Penzance YB Grand Nat Wednesday 1st September, Skibbereen Young Bird Saturday 18th September. The management committee plan a review of the situation in mid / end of March when hopefully they will be in a position to make informed decisions on the way forward for the 2021 season.
Please all stay safe at this very difficult time. Trevor Topping I.N.F.C. Secretary 16th January 2021.
HOMER. Willie Reynolds
Tel/Fax: (028) 256 44683
Mobile: 07538 238364
Twitter: willie reynolds@homerbhw
Email: homerbhw@gmail.com
http://www.pigeonnetwork.com
http://www.irishnationalflyingclub.com
http://www.niparacingpigeons.co.uk
http://www.elimarpigeons.com
From last week let me follow on in the presentation season of 1976, last time we covered the New North Flying Club followed one week later by the presentation of awards for Ballymena & District held at the same venue. This time upwards of 70 members and guests of Ballymena & District HPS met in the Adair Arms Hotel in Ballymena for the club’s annual dinner and prize giving. The principal guests were Mr & Mrs Ernie Leckey from Cullybackey, Mr & Mrs David Campbell fron Harryville and secretary of Harryville Mr Michael Reynolds.
Club Chairman Mr Tommy Harper thanked the members for attending the dinner and apologised for the Mayor and Mayoress Councillor and Mrs G Sloan who had to attend the Remembrance Service held in the County Hall. Mr Harper also apologised for the absence of Mr & Mrs Jack Irvine from Ballyclare, Mr Irwin was a well-known figure in the pigeon fraternity and also one of the few men in the pigeon fancy to hold a Hall of Fame Diploma. He was a real sportsman, for time out of number he has auctioned pigeons for charity and declined to accept any fee for the work.
Mrs Jean Campbell presented the winning members with their cash awards. She was assisted by club secretary Mr Bobby McAdorey. Mr Tommy Harper was highest prize-winner followed by Smyth Bros, Mr & Mrs Swann, Messrs William Erwin, R McCallum & Son and George Barr. Congratulating those members on their success Mr David Campbell said it was a great tribute to all the members who had worked so hard during the year and to see them lifting the lions share of the prizes. Mr Harper then thanked the Mayor and Mr George Barr for presenting the club with two new trophies. Novice Trophy and the Show Shield.
Later when the trophies were awarded by Mrs Leckey , Tommy Harper was presented with 12 of the 22 prizes. The club Chairman concluded the round of after dinner speeches by thanking the Treasurer Mr Billy Smyth for his work during the season and the clock committee and those who had been involved in the running of the club. He also paid tribute to Secretary Bobby McAdorey who because of a slight illness was not able to do as much work for the club as he had been able to do in previous years. Mr Harper added he hoped to see him back at full strength next year.
Trophy winners: J W & T Harper won the following – Guardian Trophy for Dinard, Best Ave Weymouth & Dinard, OB Ave Cup, Combined Ave, Weymouth OB Cup, Dinard OB Derby Cup, McIlwaine Cup, Ogilvie Cup, France Nat Cup, Maternaghan and O’Rourke Cups, D Kerr Okehampton Cup, W McIlroy Haverford Cup, and Flamingo Cup. H Moore & Son won Haverford (1) Cup. G Barr won YB Nat Cup, YB Derby Talbenny Cup, and Show Cup. J Rodgers & Son won YB Skibbereen Derby Cup. M/M Swann won YB Average. Ronnie Muir won the Mayors Novice Cup.
During the 1976 season Ballymena & District club have done well for themselves. In the first four races of the season the fanciers won the Section B twice and were runner-up. In Weymouth where only three birds were clocked in Sect B Ballymena & District had three and in Dinard OB Derby when inly one day bird was recorded from France into Sect B this also came to Ballymena & Dist to the J W & T Harper loft who took 1st Sect B & 4th Open and in the Championship 3 Bird 1st Sect & 1st Open plus £1,458.
Ballymena & District lofts also took the first two positions in the New North races with Tommy Harper winning Weymouth £768 and the runner-up William Erwin. Dungarvan YB race was won by Bobby Law £122 and runner-up Smyth Bros who won £65 and the Clock Nomination. In the Rennes Nat Kings Cup Tommy Harper was 8th Open INFC and J Rodgers & Son finished 14th Open. This is the third consecutive year the partnership of J Rodgers & Son have clocked in to be well placed. In the young birds T Lowry & Son won three of the early races Dublin (1) & (2) and Arklow (2), George Barr was to take 9th Open in the NIPA Derby and 7th Open in the Penzance YB National. Mcclintock Bros won two young bird races and club members done well in the YB Derby from Skibbereen J Rodgers & Son, William McIlroy and Smyth Bros were 6th, 8th and 11th Sect B respectively.
Ballymena & Dist HPS 2005 season -
With this report I have a collection of photos from the annual dinner and prize night of 2005 held at Ballymena Bowling Club, it was in my early years as Secretary and the other officials at the time included President Billy Smyth, Vice President Ronnie Muir, Chairman Robert Graham, Ass Secty Brian O’Rawe, and Treasurer Willie Owens. It was the year that George Barr was Highest Prize-winner and special guests from Millisle in County Down were John & Jean Hollinger, and John supplied music at the event. It was also early years in office for Willie Owens and I have to report the very sad news that Willie passed away recently in the Antrim Area Hospital, he had been out of the birds for a number of years but still kept in touch. He was always eager to help and quickly took on the role of Treasurer and in that time done a power of fund raising, we well remember the sales held in the Broughshane Community Centre. At club level he was involved with everything and gave me great support while a club member and took part in all events. The first time I met him was at a sale in Chimney Corner, he complained about no coverage given after he had won 1st in Mid Antrim, he joined Ballymena after that, and it was always said he just joined for the publicity. He was a fantastic young bird racer and I always used to say we would need to get him remeasured for the loft which was still in Broughshane. On one occasion he took both Rosie and my-self on a history visit to his favourite City of Londonderry, it was a very interesting visit indeed, and I do well remember the rain most of that day. He planted bushes in our front garden many years ago and these will be a constant reminder of his many visits. In his working life he was a Water Bailiff he had some wonderful stories from those days, they don’t make them like Willie anymore. From all the officers and members in Ballymena and on behalf of his many friends in the pigeon fancy sincere condolences to wife Sandra, son Barry, daughter Julie and the entire family circle at this very-sad time. I have also had the news that Harry McCloy from Cullybackey had passed away, he had been in a Care Home for a few years recovering from a major operation. When I started to train the birds the H & R McCloy loft just outside Cullybackey was a first stop in the village and he seldom missed a days training. It was a, husband and wife team, Harry & Rosie always raced a good bird and the loft won many positions, Rosie had sadly passed away before I started calling for the birds to go training, Harry continued to race under H & R McCloy and continued to collect awards including on one occasion the NIPA Bronze Diploma from France. Condolences to young Harry, his wife Jennifer and the entire family circle.
I am still waiting on some update from local clubs, if you wish to be covered please get in touch, remember every little helps. At the present time, the whole of Northern Ireland is in a control zone following outbreaks of Bird Flu. My NIPA scribe partner Stephen McGarry was admitted to hospital in the last week and we all look forward to him getting back to full health just as soon as possible, same goes for Jim Ramsey from Derry who had surgery in the last week.
Premier Club in Coleraine -
Coleraine Premier up in the North West have just published a list of the 2020 season race winners and I see a return to the top for Sean Diamond now raving on his own but for a lifetime a member of the high-flying Diamond Bros who dominated the results locally for many years over many seasons back in time. J L Madden and Jimmy Hanson have dominated more recently, and I see the Old Hand himself Anthony McDonnell another loft at a time when I started to scribe was indeed the loft to beat, winning the Sect A Fancier of the Year on numerous occasions. Now going back before my time Anthony McDonnell still holds the record in the Kings Cup winning the race in 1963 with “Champion Bann King” 1st Open INFC Les Sables at 633 miles., might never be beat. Great to see the loft still winning races in 2020, Anthony has held many positions in the sport and is a Life Vice President in the NIPA. My thanks again to Mervyn Eagleson who conducted the research for me on the Coleraine Premier race season, and with this report I have included a photo from the past, big presentation for Coleraine Premier and one as well for Coleraine & County Derry RPS.
Races winner for 2020 in Coleraine Premier HPS - Sean Diamond won 5 races, J L Madden won 4 races, Anthony McDonnell won 3 races, Jimmy Hanson won 2 races, Michael Howard & son won 2 races, T & J McDonald won 2 races, and Dessie Quinn won 1 race.
Old Birds:
07/06/20 Tullamore 16/632 - Newton & Quinn vel 1396 1st Coleraine Triangle; 13/06/20 Gowran Park 15/602 – S Diamond vel 1241 2nd Coleraine Triangle; 20/06/20 Corrin (1) 15/528 – S Diamond 1st & 2nd Vel 1941 1st & 2nd Coleraine Triangle 3rd Section A & 20th Open NIPA 775/24,284; 02/07/20 Corrin (2) 15/460 – J L Madden vel 1344 1st Coleraine Triangle. 06/07/20 Skibbereen Inland National T & J McDonald 1310 1st Coleraine Triangle. 11/07/20 Talbenny 16/256 – J Hanson vel 1330 1st Coleraine Triangle 1st Section A. S Diamond 3rd Section A. 15/07/20 Skibbereen Yearling National 12/135 – S Diamond vel 1246 1st Coleraine Triangle. 19/07/20 Bude 11/126 - J Hanson vel 1074 1st Coleraine Triangle,25/07/20 Fermoy Comeback S Diamond 1st & 2nd vel 1468 1st Coleraine Triangle; 30/07/20 St Malo OB French National 14/61 - A McDonnell vel 1486 2nd Coleraine Triangle.
Young Birds:
08/08/20 Mullingar Area Lib (1) 10/452 – M Howard & Son 1st & 2nd vel 1374 1st & 2nd Open NIPA 111/4025 J L Madden 3rd & 4th, 6th & 7th Open, Diamond Bros & G McLaughlin 5th Open NIPA; 15/08/20 Mullingar Area Lib (2) 11/521 – J L Madden 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Club vel 1310, 1st, 2nd & 3rd Open NIPA 121/3876; 23/08/20 Roscrea 10/335 – M Howard & Son vel 1492; 29/08/20 Gowran Park 12/325 – A McDonnell vel 1127; 06/09/20 Fermoy (1) 6/175 – T & J McDonald vel 1268 1st Coleraine Triangle; 12/09/20 Talbenny YB National 5/34 – A McDonnell vel 1194 3rd Coleraine Triangle; 12/09/20 Tullamore Comeback 8/164 – J L Madden vel 1858 3rd Coleraine Triangle. 19/09/20 Fermoy (2) Sean Diamond 1st, 2nd & 3rd club vel 1173 5th Coleraine Triangle; 19/09/20 Fermoy 5 Bird J L Madden vel 1071 5th Coleraine Triangle.
Portadown Charity presentation - On behalf of the late Oliver Jackson from Bondhill, from wife Eleanor, daughter Wendy, son Gary and local fancier Paul Dunlop. We would like to thank everyone who purchased pigeons to support the sale of Oliver’s pigeons for the Cancer Research Charity. Also a special thanks to Steven Lester and his wife Margaret for advertising the sale on Facebook, an Gary Donaldson for contacting cancer research. The total amount raised was a massive £3,040, another champion effort in support of a local charity.
Jim Logan of Ballyclare - Remembering a master fancier -
Back in the early 1960s quite often on a Saturday night around 11 o'clock there would be a knock on our back kitchen window and we would look to see two faces smiling through the glass. The Mairs family at that time lived in Millvale on the edge of Ballyclare in a terraced house on the Ballynure Road. Most of us these days would be a bit wary of someone knocking our window at that time of night, but back then when these two faces appeared the shout from inside was come on in the door's not locked. In would come Jim Logan and Tommy Dodds usually in good form thanks to an evening spent in Baird's Pub at the bottom of Ballyclare Main Street, about half a mile away. We children vacated the sofa to allow the pair to sit down as even without visitors seats were at a premium in our family which eventually numbered eleven including our parents. Thankfully we had a front parlour which was very handy when the living room got a bit crowded, but when Jim and Tommy came on Saturday nights the younger children were by that time in bed having just had their weekly bath.
When all children including myself were safely up the wooden hill the talk soon turned to pigeons, going on till the early hours of the morning before my father had to run Jim home in his car, with Tommy walking on up the road a hundred yards to where he lived with his sister and brother-in-law, who were the parents of Michael Fasciolo who currently races in partnership with Noel Higginson in the Ballyclare & District Club.
Moving on to 1963 and having left school at 16 I got my first job as an apprentice joiner in the joinery workshop of James Logan & Sons, with one of the sons being Jim. My father obviously played a big part in getting me the job being a good friend of Jim, who was a very good joiner himself , although he was the main son in the building firm in a white collar capacity. Back then Logans built large housing developments in both East and West Belfast, with the joinery shop on the Hillhead Road having five benches with a joiner and apprentice at each. Although the work was usually making sets of stairs and kitchen cupboards I occasionally got the job of making pigeon nestboxes for Jim's loft. These were made of the best of timber, carcases of jointed tongue & groove flooring sanded nice and smooth on a large belt and table sander with fronts of square dowells the holes of which were cut with a heavy duty mortice machine. He raced at that time with his son Ron in the Ballyclare club but it was some years later after the building firm closed that Jim got more time to devote to the pigeons, and success soon followed.
He returned to his trade of joinery setting up a workshop about a 100 yards from his bungalow on the Hillhead Road, specialising in hardwood windows working mainly on his own. Needless to say his lofts were self built the main one having a corridor that enabled him to be one of the first in the area to fly the roundabout system. Some top results followed not only in the Ballyclare Club, but in the Derby and National races.
The Nipa French National can be a very difficult race with a lot of bad ones over the years, the worst I recall being only 9 home in 1963. Today bronze, silver and gold awards are awarded for pigeons appearing on the result sheet twice, three times and four times for the gold award. Jim Logan raced a pigeon called Clare Express that won prizes in four of these races but unfortunately there were no gold medals awarded in those days, but what a pigeon it takes to do that, one that is worthy of being called a champion. In 1993 he finished 2nd Open in the race with a 2 year old Blue WF Hen and this coupled with 41st in the King's Cup saw him awarded a diploma for best average in the two races.
In the INFC one of the top awards is the Triple Crown awarded to a pigeon winning Open prizes in the Penzance Young Bird National, Sennen Cove Yearling National and King's Cup in consectutive years, it takes a very good pigeon to do that, and some years none are won. Jim gained one with his pigeon Anniversary Clare that was 115th Penzance as a YB, 106th Sennen Cove as a Yearling and was then set up for the last leg in the 2000 Kings Cup from Redon, and what a result when the pigeon finished 3rd Open Jim's best ever position from the top race in the country.
His best known pigeon was Champion Blue Jean, a beautiful Blue Hen that won the coveted INFC Hall of Fame award for three times in the Open prizes in the King's Cup. This hen turned out to also be a top breeder with a lot down off her winning not only for Jim but for quite a few other fanciers.
In 1992 he called with me to make him some small wooden grids for a set of perches, and when I finished I took them over to his loft. When he asked about the cost I said there was no need to give me money and that I would be happy enough for him to breed me a young bird sometime. With that he said come on round to the Young Bird loft as he had just weaned some youngsters the previous day. On entering the section there were a couple of dozen lovely young pigeons on the floor, and he told me to take my pick. Taking a quick look I pointed to a very nice Blue Hen that took my fancy,and when I looked up Jim had a broad smile on his face. Enquiring why he was smiling he told me I had just picked a daughter of Blue Jean his Hall of Fame winner, whereupon I told him this bird was worth far more that what he owed me for the grids, and he could give me any of the other young birds instead. Being the man he was Jim wouldn't here of that and insisted that I take the blue hen, which left me feeling as if I had just been greatly over paid for my work.
I can't remember what she was mated to but that hen bred me a Blue Cock that finished 49th in the 1995 Rennes Kings Cup, something that greatly pleased Jim when I let him know.
Jim Logan was a clever pigeon man and was using the Roundabout method back when most of us thought that roundabout was something children played on in the park. Way back in the 1960s he was racing widowhood to a doubledecker flyin loft, controlling the birds with a silent dog whistle when he wanted them to trap. Deeplitter was something that most didnt use back then but Jim was bringing limestone straight from the quarry in Glenarm to spread on the floor of his loft. A deep thinker about the sport he was always using up to date methods and probably devising some systems of his own. He will go down in my book as one of, if not the best ever pigeon man in the Ballyclare area. How many fanciers have won an Nipa Gold Medal, 2nd Open Nipa St Malo National, an Infc Triple Crown and a Hall of Fame award plus 3rd in the King's Cup, and thats not to mention the very many other prizes he won over the years in Club and National racing. Milne Mairs.
Irish Nat FC Update - The 2020 Irish National Flying Club season was totally written off due to the Covid -19 virus, which led to restrictions on the numbers of people gathering together. With no viable options available it was disappointing for the officials, committee and members that the six planned races had to be cancelled.
The management committee have agreed and approved that no subscriptions will be due in 2021 for those who were members in 2020.
New members are most welcome and the fee is £25.00 or € 30.00 if you belong to a club and make application through your club, for any new members who are paying individually fee is £35.00 or €42.00. Application forms are on the website http://www.infc.co.ul
No Annual General Meeting can take place at present due to the restrictions in place for Covid – 19.
The annual accounts have been audited and circulated to the management committee. The accounts will not be sent out at present to members, but will be before the Annual General Meeting when one is arranged at a later date. (Any member who requires a copy of the accounts urgently please email infcpigeons@btinternet.com and we will forward them to you).
With no Annual General Meeting all officials and management committee’s will remain in place for 2021.
The 2020 proposed race programme will also remain with revised 2021 dates. This will once again be subject to any restrictions in place. Skibbereen Old Bird Tuesday 25th May, Sennen Cove Yearling Nat Wednesday 9th June, St Allouestre Kings Cup Friday 2nd July, Plougastel-Daoulas or Lamballe Friendship Nat Friday 9th July, Penzance YB Grand Nat Wednesday 1st September, Skibbereen Young Bird Saturday 18th September. The management committee plan a review of the situation in mid / end of March when hopefully they will be in a position to make informed decisions on the way forward for the 2021 season.
Please all stay safe at this very difficult time. Trevor Topping I.N.F.C. Secretary 16th January 2021.
HOMER. Willie Reynolds
Tel/Fax: (028) 256 44683
Mobile: 07538 238364
Twitter: willie reynolds@homerbhw
Email: homerbhw@gmail.com
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