Joe Murphy Column 1/3/18

[THE FIFER]

The Joe Murphy Column

 

I managed to pair my birds up last Monday 19^thFebruary after spending the weekend cleaning out the nest boxes and washing galleypots; nest pans all the normal chores that you have to do at this time of theyear. Kevin and I had gone over the pairings and these seemed to have jelledquite well and the majority are going in and out of their boxes no problem. Ibred some very special late breds last year and do not intend to breed from themthis year but was going to let them develop till next year but low and behold someof them want to pair up just now. We had to take our 6 year old grandson Connerto the Victoria Hospital Accident and Emergency department on Tuesday as whenhis mum woke him for school she noticed blood on his pillow case. This wascoming from his ear and as he has ‘perforated eardrums’ we were all veryconcerned. The doctor at the hospital examined him and said the infection hadburst and he gave him antibiotics. He has not been back at school so we havehad him all day for the past few days. To be honest he is no problem but it is verytime consuming as he wants you to be with him all the time. He did come out tothe loft for a short time and ‘helped’ me clean the floor. It was just as wellthe birds were locked up in their nest boxes at the time as he has not been inthe loft for months but the birds just kept their eyes on him. One good thingabout him being brought up with the pigeons he is never in a hurry and he neverstops talking which alerts the birds that he is in the loft.

 

Thank You

 

I would just like to thank the fanciers who phonedme offering the Pictorial that I was missing this was very kind of them howeverI did receive one from Steve at the RP so this now completes my collection.

 

SNFC / SNRPC

 

The interviews for a new secretary have taken placebut up to now no one has heard the outcome. I have had a few people asking mewhat they should do regarding paying their membership fees for 2018 and I havetold them to contact one of the committee or send it to Mary Pryde who woulddeal with the situation. I have also heard that the SNRPC membership has risensince the end of last season. I think many fanciers are keeping their optionsopen by being in both nationals. I’m not going over old ground but I said thiswould happen after the season the SNFC had in 2017 with the amount of birdsthat failed to return home. Quite a lot of fanciers donot have a lot of pigeons left so they will be watching the weatherforecasts and also the race point and depending on which is the best suited fortheir birds they will go with that club regardless of their politicalbeliefs.

 

 

 

This week’sphotographs

The first was sent to me by a friend of the familyand was indeed a ‘Blast from the Past’. This was taken at Kennoway Club prizepresentation in 1978 and the reason I can remember it so vividly was my youngsister and brother came to collect my dad’s prizes. He and my brother Paul bothdied within months of each other that year and you can see from the picturethat my sister and wee brother were still in a state of shock. From the backleft to right the names are as follows; Tam Cook (still a member to this day)Joe Murphy; Ron Henderson; Davie Hamilton; Bob Galloway; Jock Harrow and JockTraill from Thornton (main guest). Front row left to right; Tommy Corrigan(councillor) Jimmy Hamilton; Jean Hamilton (Davie’s wife) Nancy Traill; NorrieSmith; Ian Allan; Bernadette Murphy; Brian Murphy; Mrs Corrigan and MargaretMurphy club secretary. The majority of these people have now passed but it wasnice to see their faces once again. This week’s 2 bird’s pictures from JimHannah are of Our Willie bred and raced by John Duthie of Dundee as you willsee he won a Meritorious Bronze Award with the SNFC. The next picture is of‘Santa Claus’ raced by Willie Pratt of Rosyth and bred by Keith Cochrane ofCrossgates.

click to enlarge

Good SNFC Birds

 

This week I start with a blue cock SU14P 6230 racedby Newcombe and Black of Macmerry this cock won44^th section B 146^th open Buckingham a distance of 283miles he then won 21^st section B 39^th open from the Ypresrace point flying 426 miles both achieved in 2016. In 2017 he won fromBedhampton a distance of 360 miles being 70^th section B and 246^thopen. Our next pigeon is flown by Dave Jamieson of EastCalder this Welsh rung 2015 chequer cock won twice as a yearling in the nationalbeing 11^th section D 293^rd open from Buckingham adistance of 287 miles. Then he was sent to Littlehampton a distance of 372miles and he won 4^th section D 35^th open; then in 2017 hewas back to Buckingham and won 43^rd section D 373^rd open.We not come to a yearling blue bar cock GB16S 40388 raced by McCormick & Hughes of Uddingston. In 2017 he won 62^ndsection E (no open prize) from Buckingham a distance of 292 miles; he then wentto Bedhampton a distance of 367 miles and won 22^nd section E 227^th open. Moving into thecentre belt of Scotland we find another yearling who won twice in 2017. Thisblue bar hen SU16AF 3020 was raced by J Hendry ofBathgate West Lothian she won 35^thsection D 306^th open from Buckingham a distance of 289 miles; thenshe went to Bedhampton and won 33^rd section D 326^th openflying 365 miles. Another class yearling was a black hen SU16S 2465 raced by J Gilmour ofEcclefechan from the Bedhampton race she won 44^th section A 223^rd openflying 306 miles she then went to the Falaise race point and won 5^thsection A 6^th open flying 451 miles. I know there will be otheryearlings that have achieved very good results during 2107 but I am workingthrough the results trying to find them out and will continue to cover as manyas I can before the racing season starts. My last pigeon this week is a mealycock SU15DF 106 raced by Bruce McKenzie of Dundee. In 2016 he won 40^th section C 132^ndopen from Littlehampton a distance of 406 miles then in 2017 he won 375^thopen from Buckingham a distance of 321 miles.

 

Joe’s Joke

 

While Bob was sunbathing naked at the beach at GreenValley, for the sake of civility, and to keep it from getting sunburned,he had a hat over his private parts. A woman walks past and says,snickering, "If you were a gentleman, you'd lift your hat." He raisedan eyebrow and replied, "Madam, if you were better looking, it would liftitself." IF THIS IS NOTSUITABLE THEN YOU CAN USE

 

A Message to Women

 

Old age is when you have stopped growing at bothends, and have begun to grow in the middle. Old age is having a choice oftwo temptations and choosing the one that will get you home earlier. A man hasreached old age when he is cautioned to slow down by his Doctor instead of bythe police. Don't worry about avoiding temptation. As you grow older, it will avoidyou. You know you are getting old when you don't care where your spouse goes, just aslong as you don't have to go along.

 

Please continue to keep thenews flowing; to Joe Murphy Mystical Rose Cottage 2 Flutorum Avenue Thornton byKirkcaldy KY1 4BD or phone 01592 770331 or Email to joejmurphy1@gmail.com REMEMBER THE J IN THE MIDDLEor log onto www.elimarpigeons.com www.fancierchat.co.uk www.pigeon-chat.co.ukand www.Pigeonbasics.com - Pigeon Racing the Basics! Whowish my weekly contribution portfolio on pigeon topics from Scotland

 

© Compiled by Joe Murphy

 

[THE FIFER]