Sunny South East,

[Guest maricelbill]

Alternate routes

 

 

 

PG was behind the bar cleaning glasses. Clink. There was boxing from the National Stadium on the television behind the bar with the volume down. The fight between the Channel King and the novice had obviously been more interesting. Otherwise the bar was empty.

 

The Channel King was sitting back to the wall under the large gleaming channel trophy. On the opposite side of the ring sat the clean shaven lad one of the new breed of fanciers who read everything. Thinks about everything. Traveled everywhere to soak up all he knows a Ceuster from a coaster and a rooster from a roaster.

 

They were discussing the upcoming I.H.U National A.G.M. From the bar I could hear the King telling the novice how credit has to be given to that Patsy Dowling and Fred Malone for taking on the National. Otherwise it was curtain.

 

 

Don’t mention curtains, says PG

 

 

Just the same said the King we have to thank them lads for keeping it alive when it could easily have died after the Dublin brigade threw their nappies out of the pram.

When was this? inquired the novice.

 

Up on the screen the challenger in the green vest threw a flurry across the head of the defending champ but the red vested champ bobbed and weaved and came back with an uppercut into the ribs

 

 

When they realised people outside The Pale could race pigeons, said the King. If not for the lads sure the National would be gone down the river like that Floozie in the Jacuzzi.

 

Or burned at the stake interrupted PG from behind the bar. The Pyre in the Spire.

 

 

The referee separated the boxers and waved play on.

 

 

I might use that in an article I said.

 

 

The King got frazzled and began waving his hands over and back in panic. Ah here now, don't mention what I said them throwing their nappies out of the pram. Them articles of yours have the place a war zone.

 

 

Of course not, I said. I winked at the novice. PG turned his back pretending to watch the boxing.. I could see PG's shoulder going up and down. You should have told them the story of Mickey Connolly and the one legged canary, says he, with his back still turned.

 

I might, I said, taking the first cool sip of larger. The challenger landed a clean jab to the forehead. But there's a place for it, I said, directing my comments to the novice. You can't shoehorn a one legged canary into a story. I went and sat at the table.

 

The argument I had stumbled into was the kings attempt to educate the novice in the ways of channel racing into this part of Ireland. "This Part" being south and west of Dublin and North Wicklow.

 

But why, asks the clean shaven novice, fiddling with his glass, reluctant to take the argument further, yet wanting to understand. Why are we asking the pigeons to fly 180 miles of water from Cornwall when we could change the route from North Wales over to say Dover? I don't know much about pigeons, like you King, but I can read a map. The pigeons would cross where it's 80 miles of water. Would that not be fairer on the pigeons?

 

The challenger was bobbing and weaving but a crashing b,ow to his right temple left him on the canvass. looking a bit dazed.

 

Fairer on the pigeons? asks King. What do the pigeons have to do with it? If I send 10 pigeons to Penzance I'll surely have 3 on the day if the weather is good and the wind favorable. And one the next day; sure nothing wrong with that.

 

 

That seems a lot of losses though inquires the novice, lifting the glass to his lip but not drinking. If we went inland then the birds won't be flying up and down the coast of England looking for a place to cross.

 

Look, says the King leaning forward and firing an impatient gaze at the novice. This is how we always done it. It's only the stupid pigeons fly up and down. The good ones will cross.

 

The challenger was back on his feet. Touch gloves,. Box on but the bell went for the end of the round.

 

They have difficulty crossing the Bristol Channel, said PG from the counter. A clean white bar towel around his shoulder. Angelo Dundee at the ringside. They won't even cross Dungarvan Bay and that’s only 2 miles. They follow the land in and around unless the wind pushes them out to sea. Are you ready for the next round? What will it be gentlemen? Same again? he

 

The bell rang the boxers were on their feet. Touch gloves, Box on.

 

Look here Lad, says the King leaning forward and firing an impatient gaze at the novice. This is how we always done it. It's only the stupid pigeons fly up and down. The good ones will cross. You have to respect tradition, continues the King, raising his voice and stomping his chubby index finger into the soggy coaster so the droplets of beer scattered across the dark brown table top. A right hook from the Champ the challengers gum shield flew across the canvass. The ref gave a standing count. Go easy on the lad now says PJ looking up at the box. I wondered if he was speaking to the box or to King. King continued. If'n a thing has always been done in a certain way then that's the way it has to be. When you've a few more years notched up under the mattress, or lamp pole or belt or whatever it is, you won't be coming up with such ridiculous ideas.

 

He won't be as eager in a few years, I said.

 

And how would we get to these new race points anyway? Answer me that?

 

 

The King was bringing it down to money. The last bastion of a lost cause.

 

 

A one two from the champ.

 

 

We're depending on others to bring us, say King. We go where they go. He stubbed the coaster again just as the challenger landed a combination to the champs jaw. The champ was stunned. The crowd were on their feet.

 

Could we not by our own transporter? says the Novice. It's just a thought. He looked away up at the boxing match on the television. A one two from the challenger.

 

 

Buy our own lorry? Have you lost your senses completely? I'm after hearing it all. Who will pay? And who will pay for going across the channel on our own? He motioned toward the bar, Get up there and pay for the drink and no more stupidity.

 

 

It's your round, says PG to the King. The Novice bought the last round and the round before that too. PJ had his elbows on the counter chin in his hands clearly enjoying it all now.

The novice stood up and went to the bar.

 

I don't mind paying, he said, taking the money from his wallet.

 

The champ was getting a standing count now. He looked in trouble, The challenger in a neutral corner,

The King went to relieve himself and I was left alone at the table to wonder. Are we a little like the early explorers? Staying on the coast, never venture inland because you're frightened of what you might find there. One legged canaries?

Mickey Connolly was a stalwart of pigeon racing in Waterford. He passed away a few years back now and is thought of fondly to this day. The name continues in the sport with Mickey's son, Chris, a hard working official and a credit to the legacy. It happened one day back in the early 90s I called for some long forgotten reason in the company of Peter Power.

Mickey had canaries in little wooden boxes scattered about the walls of the pigeon loft rather like a watchmaker has his walls lined with cuckoo clocks. When I was leaving Peter talked Mickey into giving me a canary and after a bit of banter I wound up taking a box home with the canary installed. I left him on the window ledge it was then I realised this canary had only one leg. So I phoned, Mickey. Mickey, I said, do you realise this canary has only one leg.

And so? says Mickey. Is it a singer or a dancer you wanted?

 

The national we get is the one we pay for. Do we want a singer or a dancer? Or do with want an all singing all dancing National with bells and whistles. We can have that. We can have a national that has them standing in the rain to join.

 

The King was back from the toilet and resumed his seat. Well then he asks, did you figure out how to fit that canary into this story?

I have figured out that canary has one big advantage over you, King.

How so?

 

He at least had a leg to stand on.

 

The fight was over. The champ didn't come out for round three.

 

 

Someone who has no interest in the channel is Billy Cullimore from Wexford. I met Billy recently and he has been of great assistance and support for the South Central Super Club breeder buyer. And naturally we had a good chat about all things pigeons.

 

Billy was born into the sport. His uncles Ned and Lar Frayne won the 1st Eire National from Girvan as far back as 1948. Billy went solo in 1978 breaking his novice status two years later from Balbriggan with 800 birds competing. .For a number of years Billy was buying birds from a number of sources. Ordinary birds, he says, and I was achieving ordinary results. In the late 90s the lofts of Tommy Byrne and R & M Hillis were dominating racing in Wexford. In 1999 a pair of late bred pigeons from Tommy Byrne's great racer ‘Schumacher’ were introduced. These were Staf Van Reets originating with Tommy Roberts in Dublin. In the same year a nest pair from R & M Hillis were obtained. These again were Van Reets. The cock from R & M Hillis would be called the ’99 cock’ and went on to win 3 x 1st. These 2 pair were paired together in 2000. Billy had minor success with their offspring but persevered and it was the grandchildren of the original Van Reets that went on to make Billy a household name.

 

The best of all is ‘Stitch’ . He won 8 x 1st Fed and was champion old bird in the South Leinster Federation in 2005, 2006, 2007 and runner up in 2008. He has sired national winners, Derby winners and federation winners. ‘Stitch’s’ first year in the stock loft was 2009. He was paired to a daughter of the original ’99 pair. All four 4 YB bred from this pair topped the federation.

In 2012 Stitch was mated with ‘Davy’s Girl’. She was a national winner herself, being a daughter of the ’99 pair. 4 sons were bred that year again all 4 topped the federation.

Another son from ‘Stitch’, ‘The Special One’ in 3 consecutive week won 3 x 1st club and feds including 1st open I.N.F.C, 1st Open Old Bird Derby S.L.F,. and 1st Fed Kinsale. In the stock he went on to produce ‘Dancer’ winner of 4 x 1st Federation. Stitch’s’ half brother is the 108 cock winner of 4 x 1st Feds he in turn is sire of ‘The Boss’ winner of 5 x 1st Feds.

 

Billy rates the’99 cock the best pigeon he ever had. I don’t think I will ever have one like him again. ‘Stitch’ is next with 8 x1st Federations. Next would be ‘Shergar’, winner of 5 x 1st Federations and sire 2 x 1st National winners. 2 s 1st Derby winners and 10 x 1st club and Fed winners. ‘The Boss’ is another grandson on the ’99 pair, winner of 5 x 1st Fed, always winning by a clear margin. A real racing machine. He came with ‘The Special One’ to win 1st& 2nd open I.N.F.C. old bird national, Skibbereen 2010. He went back the following week to Skibbereen and won the Fed by 45 yards per minutes.

 

Billy keeps 22 widowhood cocks and rears 40 youngsters. He keeps it simple and it is something Tommy Blair said to me. On a recent visit to Johan Donckers in Belgium the message is the same. “The simpler I keep it the more they winâ€/

 

The first time Billy’s cocks see the basket is the first race. Due to the peregrine menace no training is undertaken but after 2 or 3 races the birds are in the swing. They exercise 1 hour morning and evening. The young birds are trained every day before the first race. The risk has to be taken. Once racing commences, training continues two or three days a week depending on the weather and how Billy judges the situation.

 

 

There is little interest in the Channel and Billy considers it a waste of good pigeons. Situated in the South East of Ireland right on the coast the birds have a lot of water and as the inland racing is west to east up to 160 miles it is very difficult to get the pigeons to turn the other direction. Not something I would necessarily agree with but it's not my loft report. It's Billy's. Nor does Billy have a lot of interest in racing hens. though he has seen fanciers put up fantastic results with them so he is keeping his options open. The cocks have won 5 x 1st I.N.F.C. 3 I.H.U.N.F.C. Over 60 x 1st federations in the S.L.F. since 2003. He has have been champion old bird flyer in club and S.L.F. in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008,2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and runner up 2009. Billy holds the record for the first 12 positions in one race in the SLF over120 members sending 1,500 to 2,600 weekly.

 

Good pigeons are a must. Management has to be 100%. There are many widowhood mixtures out there and Billy thinks 90% are excellent. It is all about the right amount and the right time and this comes with experience. Judgement. Billy worms the pigeons once a year for old and young birds. Cider vinegar in the water 2 to 3 times per week. Sick birds are not tolerated. In the case of YBS the method here is to feed very little depurative for 3 days then begin the process to build them back up. Anything not 100% after this will be removed.

 

Billy has great regard for the OLR performances of Maurice O’Donnell of Dungarvan and Gerry O’Mara, Dublin, 35 1st feds in the I.S.R.F. with up to 10,000 birds weekly. Billy has in recent years introduced the Heremen Ceuster lines from Gerry resulting into his own family and a more medium sized pigeon that fit easily into the hand is emerging. Big little or small the results continue at Clonard.

 

 

 

As usual news views and death threats to westwing@eircom.net.

 

Prometheus.