The Joe Murphy Column 

May I wish ALL readers of the Joe Murphy Column a Very Merry Christmas and I hope you ALL have a lovely day; and may I wish each and every one of you all the Very Best for 2023. I would also like to thank all the fanciers who throughout the year have remarked how much they enjoy the column. With quite a lot of fanciers and their wives also enjoy the weekly joke, which seems to go down well. Christmas is a special family occasion and we normally go to our oldest sons for Christmas dinner. This year is going to be something special as both he and his wife have a Ukraine mother and daughter whom they took in after the appeal to help families out. They are lovely and the young girl’s English has improved tremendously and she is enjoying school in Scotland. So hopefully when we raise a glass to celebrate Christmas we can also think about her husband and the girl’s father; and with any luck they will be able to join up once this terrible war is over.

Wet Weather

Like most fanciers within the UK, we have been having terrible rain and everything is soaking wet. I shut over half my windows in my small stock loft to try and stop the rain from getting into it, but to no avail as it still gets in. I am blessed in the comfort of knowing that I have a bucket of Respiro San Dry and I sprinkle this on the floor and it act as a quick drying agent, absorbing moisture and within hours the loft floor is dry again. I swear by this product and you can obtain it from Phil Gardner his email address is; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

Slabbinck-Cattrysse

While speaking to Jim Hannah the top Scottish pigeon photographer one day, he said he would send me an old RP dated the 27^th November 1965; which had the sale of the above family of pigeons. My father was a great Slabbinck enthusiast and he purchased a couple of pigeons of this breed in 1959 & 1966. (see photos of bird’s pedigree).

I also found a cutting from the RP in Scottish Notes, regarding Fife; From the Fife Federation Christchurch race with an entry of 1157 birds, Tom Stevenson & son (this would be you and your dad -Ronnie) who won Leven club. Davy Cook won Kennoway with Joe Murphy & son (this was yours truly) the only two Kennoway members making the open result. In my dad’s scrap book was a De Belgische Duivensport dated the 25^th March 1969. I have enclosed a photograph of this; it measures 43 centimetres by 62 centimetres and has 4 full pages. I have also added a few photographs of their wonderful winning pigeons.

The Tip a famous pigeon in the family; He was a winner of 11 x 1^st prizes and won over £1000 (which was a fortune in those days) The Tip flew NFC Pau and won 31^st open 3207 birds; 102^nd open 3560 birds in English Nationals. He was sire, grandsire, great grandsire of many of Slabbinck winners.

The Tip was a son of ‘Bismark’. Blauwetik Barcelona’ Belge 55 3016795.

Five times Barcelona International, 1100km, This remarkable long-distance ace won 41^st open 3578 birds; 41^st open 4114 birds; 15^th open 3599 birds; 80^th open 3300 birds; competing against ALL Belgium; ALL Holland; All Germany; All Luxembourg; All France; All Great Britain. Even as a 4-year-old in his first attempt he was placed 471^st with 481 birds competing-a terrible race when many birds were lost.  ‘Grace Kelly’ Violet Eye Hen; an exceptionally nice hen; raced well as a yearling; won 3 prizes in the first 6, also 14^th & 22^nd Orleans; was then stopped for stock. As she was something special. Her sire was The Tip and her dam was a daughter of ‘Little Mo’; who was a little Diamond. Her half brothers were The Favourite;

The Young Tip & Wittepenne and they won 21 x 1^st prizes between them. ‘The De Pol Hen’ Cattrysse at it best. She was a ½ sister to the famous 6 times Barcelona cock; another brother was ‘Bismark’ winner of 11^th, 28^th & 23^rd international Barcelona;

The Oude Pol, produces numerous national winners and his stock was wildly sought after as his offspring were also very good producers. Sire of Oude Pau was 1^st national Pau from Pol Bostin, his dam was a sister of De Kleinen, also a 1^st prize National winner for Cattrysse, they were paired together and both fanciers had an egg each. So, fanciers will see that the Oude Pau was a first cross.

Another hen was the De Ide Hen; her sire was De Boer; always stock; he was a brother to two 1^st prize National Winners; De 90 and De Draaier; winner of 297, 4901franks by 1964 only. He was a phenomenal racing cock, whose wins made history in Belgium. Dam of De Ide Hen; was De Boerinneke 61 3301395. A daughter of the famous outstanding ACE long distance pigeon of ALL Belgium in 1958. De Jerome from De Ide of Gistel in Belgium; Paired to a sister 58.3301287 who is De Durumeaux 55.3016912; Sire of two 1^st prize national winners.

I could go on and on about this wonderful family of pigeons as I was brought up on them when I was a young boy. So, looking over my late father’s old loft book has brought up so many happy memories. The thing that caught my eye was how Cattrysse used the crossing of two inbred families to heightens the vigour of their strain. If you look at the breeding of my own pigeon in the 2023 Blackpool Charity Sale you will see that I have done exactly the same principles at these past wonderful fanciers. Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying that I’m in the same bracket as them but one thing I have learnt over my 75 years is this is the way to go if you wish to succeed in racing pigeons.               

Joe’s Joke 

No one believes seniors; everyone thinks they are senile. An elderly couple was celebrating their sixtieth anniversary. The couple had married as childhood sweethearts and had moved back to their old neighbourhood after they retired. Holding hands, they walked back to their old school. It was not locked, so they entered, and found the old desk they’d shared, where Andy had carved “I love you, Sally.” On their way back home, a bag of money fell out of an armoured car, practically landing at their feet. Sally quickly picked it up and, not sure what to do with it, they took it home. There, she counted the money - fifty thousand pounds!

Andy said, “We’ve got to give it back.” Sally said, “Finder’s keepers.” She put the money back in the bag and hid it in their attic. The next day, two police officers were canvassing the neighbourhood looking for the money and knocked on their door. “Pardon me, did either of you find a bag that fell out of an armoured car yesterday?”

Sally said, “No”. Andy said, “She’s lying; she hid it up in the attic’. Sally said, “Don’t believe him, he’s getting senile” The agents turned to Andy and began to question him. One said: “Tell us the story from the beginning.” Andy said, “Well, when Sally and I were walking home from school yesterday ....” The first police officer turned to his partner and said, “We’re out of here!”

Season Best Wishes to ALL

May I once again wish all readers of my column a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year; I hope you all have a very enjoyable time; God Bless.

Please continue to keep the news flowing; to Joe Murphy Mystical Rose Cottage 2 Flutorum Avenue Thornton by Kirkcaldy KY1 4BD or phone 01592 770331 or Email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. REMEMBER THE J IN THE MIDDLE or you can also view online editions on: www.elimarpigeons.com www.fancierchat.co.uk www.pigeon-chat.co.uk - www.Pigeonbasics.com - Pigeon Racing the Basics! - thecanadianpigeoninternational.com www.internationalracingpigeon.com or https://sites.google.com/site/internationalracingpigeon/ Who wish my weekly contribution portfolio on pigeon topics from Scotland?

© Compiled by Joe Murphy