Pigeons

“The sport of releasing specially trained homing pigeons, which then return to their homes over a carefully measured distance. The time it takes the animal to cover the specified distance is measured and the bird's rate of travel is calculated and compared with all of the other pigeons in the race to determine which animal returned at the highest speed”.

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Pigeon racing requires a specific breed of pigeon bred for the sport, the 'Racing Homer'.

Pigeon racing/fancying is an All-Ireland sporting institution, the IHU (Irish Homing Union)

While there is no definite proof, there are compelling reasons to think the sport of racing pigeons may go back at least as far as 220 AD. Furthermore, it is recorded in the Mishnah that pigeon racers are prohibited from bearing witness.

Patrick Fairley

The chicks hatch within the lofts/sheds which are architecturally unique structures reflecting the personality of its proud owner

Tommy Tosh

Billy Savage

John McClurkin and Lee Wilson

Geordie Gaw. RIP

Hugh Patton

Brian Smyth

Jimmy Gibson

Michael Gorman

Brian Smyth

The sport achieved a great deal of popularity in Belgium in the mid-19th century. The pigeon fanciers of Belgium were so taken with the hobby that they began to develop pigeons specially cultivated for fast flight and long endurance called Voyageurs. From Belgium the modern version of the sport and the Voyageurs which the Flemish fanciers developed spread to most parts of the world.

John McGrattan. RIP

Joe Mitchell and Arter McDonnell

Arter McDonnell RIP

Patsy Reid and John McManus

John McManus

Tony Curran

John Robinson lofts

'Young bird race'

Then, the first races will begin to choose the fastest out of the hatchlings, this is called the “young bird race.”

Jimmy O'Hara

'The Hampering'

Separating the cocks from the hens, the birds are sorted into the right cages for their first race.

Up to 5.000 birds can be loaded onto a single trailer.

Setting the clocks

Competing pigeons are specially trained and conditioned for races that vary in distance from 100 kilometres (62 mi) to 1,000 kilometres (620 mi). Despite these lengths, races can be won and lost by seconds, so many different timing and measuring devices have been developed. The traditional timing method involves rubber rings being placed into a specially designed clock

whereas a newer development uses RFID tags to record arrival time

The 'Ringing' of the birds

The birds are ‘Ringed’ for Identification purposes, each bird has a unique barcode.

Eamon McKenna

The Auction

The bird auction where the best birds are put up for sale

Billy Lavery

Once quite popular, the sport has experienced a downturn in participants in some parts of the world in recent years, possibly due to the rising cost of living, ageing fanciers, and a severe lack of public interest. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis is also a reason why some people are leaving the sport.

Setting the clocks - 3-2-1 - clunk!

The birds are loaded for transport to the place of ‘Liberation’

One recent development in the sport of pigeon racing is "one loft racing", where birds are raced against each other under the same training regimen, from the same location. The principle being to find the best individual race bird irrespective of the race trainer. This will determine which bird is then the most successful.