The Joe Murphy Story 2026

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"My name is Joe and for me, this story begins when I was 5.

 

My parents moved from Dundee to Kennoway in 1952 and my father had kept racing pigeons and so I began to learn from him. It begins with pairing the pigeons up, which results in chicks. About a month later, a ring goes on their foot and that pigeons yours.

 

Years ago when my son Kevin was just little, we had went to an auction and he put his wee hand up by accident and we had to pay for that pigeon, I only had my membership fees with me, so I had to borrow the extra £3 for the pigeon which cost £5 and believe it or not it went on to be successful that the £5 was soon forgotten about. He was the Dorden Cock. We took him to Blackpool and he came 4th in his class.

 

You have to work hard at it, I've given my life to these wee birds. You have to clean the aviary out and change the water and food everyday, really look after them. When the babies come, you have to take note and in 18 days, they hatch and a month later they're flying themselves"

 

Joe pulls out his keys and shows me the pigeons rings on his keys. "I keep these because they mattered to me"

 

My father worked in the pits and worked backshift so I would tend to them when he couldn't. He had a red checker, which is a breed of pigeon and called it Dundee Jenny after my mother, they were Dundonians of course, my mother had red hair and the older it got, it won more and soon became his favourite bird.

 

It was good fun and we just did the same, Margaret and I. There's a lot of satisfaction for breeding winners. When Margaret and I married in 1967 in Glenrothes, there was a wee rule about not getting pigeons! I had a job delivering coal at this time and one of the boys said "you know a bit about pigeons eh" and so I took it home, put it in the shed and that was it. Dad soon gave me some more and we joined Kennoway Racing Club, we soon moved there to Leven Road. It was so competitive. These wee birds need trained, it's a lot of work. When I worked at Seafield Pit, Margaret would help train them. 

 

Like you and I, pigeons are different. They fly home to get to their eggs, that's the motivation but there has to be set conditions and that varies for each pigeon so notebooks are vital. It's the nature of a pigeon, it wants to return home to take care of the babies and when they do, they're right down, tending to the chicks. 

 

We've raised money for charity with our winnings too, we never did this to be rich, it was just something that felt right because it's all we knew. There's a misconception about these birds, that they're "flying rats" and I'd take them into my hut and let them see the birds, spend some time with them. 

 

They're wonderful, intelligent, wee birds, with tiny hearts that can fly them across seas to get home, and a radar inside of their little heads that guides them home, you tell me that's not an amazing thing

 

They're a comfort, and having them has given my life meaning. One of my pigeons, had babies and this week one of the babies won in the nationals and that's what it's all about for myself, just proud that I played a part in that"

 

I'm offered tea and biscuits and we get ready to go outside, where I met George, a pigeon that is 23 years old that Joe has had all it's life. Tomorrow I'll share more of Joes story but if you've enjoyed this part, give it a share. 

 

These wee birds are so misunderstood and if I can change just one persons opinion of them, I'll be happy.

 

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PART 2

"Sometimes we'll see pigeons out and about, have you noticed how they always get out of peoples way? They don't bother you and some of them look in bad shape. You've seen ours and how plump they all look, they've got it good in that aviary. 

 

During World War Two, 300000 homing pigeons were used to send messages by Allied Forces, 32 of which were decorated with the Dickin Medal for their service. These wee birds, who some people treat with contempt for no other reason other than existing, saved thousands of lives in that time.

 

I suppose you would have to know the joy from rearing pigeons, the love and care you give them to get the best out of them. Whether they're winners or not, people just need to give them a little bit of time. They're unique wee things with personalities and they're so intelligent, social, and perfectly suited for a life of close coexistence with us. Joe had one pigeon called Murphys Joy and it flew 640 odd miles, can you imagine such a tiny thing with a wee heart doing that, what did it go through to get home? Storms and winds and it's so happy to get home to you. You don't imagine them living to Georges age, he's 23 now and he's happy out there. He was a winner and picked up plenty of prizes.

 

Margaret tells me about her favourite pigeons, "I would name them and Joe would often refer to them by their ring number"

 

"I would do my part when Joe was working back shift, it's been a joy of mines to do that. He was in the pitts for 13 years and I hated it. One time he got knocked unconscious and I seen our car drive up and the door opened "don't worry, he's fine, he's just knocked out" 

 

Joe later tells me he owes much of his success to his wife, it was very clear that even after almost 60 years together, they continue to complement one another in ways perhaps without realising it. Old fashioned love.

 

Joe tells me about Kevin, his late son. "Once I stopped racing them, I took them to Arbroath and he raced them and he done quite well. We would go there to see them come home, just the 3 of us. Kevin would get onto me cause I would get up and get ready for them to land he'd say "they're no your pigeons Dad" and that always gave us a laugh and Kevin would go "YES" everytime they'd come out, that was his thing, like us, they gave him lots of joy"

 

"I don't know what will happen to my birds, but I do know that it's been my greatest joy, and I still write in the Joe Murphy Column. I've done well for myself and I expect that a few folk will see what I've said and chip in with their own thoughts on the pigeons which will be nice.

 

I've made plenty of friends doing this, and that's been another aspect of this but it seems to be getting rarer and rarer sadly. I just hope people will see this and think twice about pigeons because they really are wonderful little birds"

 

If you've enjoyed Joes story, give it a wee share and be mindful of our feathered friend, they're just trying to get by. Thank you to Joe & Margaret for their hospitality and care on that summers day at their home ❤️