As the 2009 season draws to a close, I visited two lofts in Ballymun, on the northern outskirts of Dublin. In a very competitive club, these two had their reasons to be very pleased with their performance.

Firstly, I dropped in to the loft of Kevin Meredith & Family. Although racing sparodically in the club for the past few years, this is the first season Kevin really put his mind to it. When success finally came, it came big. The Irish South Road Federation Young Bird race out of Talbenny was a very tough one - some fanciers would be tempted to call it a disaster! Kevin, still a novice, sent seven pigeons. When the race was over, Kevin was no longer a novice, his first pigeon home taking 1st Club, 1st Section and 2nd Open. What a way to break you novice status. He clocked two more out of the seven, taking good club and federation positions.

His champion is a red cock, bred from a Van Hee hen he bought in Blackpool, and a Barker hen he got from Tom Burke of Ringsend. Tom does not race his pigeons at all - just keeps them as a hobby. Kevin has acquired more stock from Tom, and we will see what they can do in the future. We congratulate Kevin on his success.

Kevin Merideth with his nephew, Josh


Kevin inside his loft holding the red cock that was 1st Club, 2nd Open Talbenny

From there I did not have very far to travel to the loft of Mr. & Mrs. Emerson. This loft's main claim to success this season was their record on the channel. I had heard that they clocked six pigeons out of St. Malo, France, and Darren confirmed it to me - four on the day, and two more on the second day, out of a total entry of ten pigeons. Now, that is some flying! Two weeks before that they got twelve out of eighteen from Sennen Cove, clocking six in a half hour period.

Out of the numerous strains they have, Darren regards those he got from Dominic Carton of Waterford and Terry Craigs of England as the main basis of his successful team.

Darren tells me that he flies the pigeons to his own version of Roundaboud/Widowhood system. I am certainly going back to him for more information on this successful system - watch out for it on this website in the near future!


Darren Emerson with some of his highly successful pigeons.


Darren holding what he regards as his best hen. She flew every Old Bird race (ten in all) this season, picking up a few cards, AND was his 5th pigeon home from St. Malo.


Darren Emerson with another of his St. Malo pigeons.