The Joe Murphy Column

Received an email from Graeme Davidson who wrote; ‘Dear Joe, I haven’t raced pigeons for many years but there’s always been that yearning to start again at some point. Over the New Year I thought I must keep in touch with what’s happening in the pigeon sport so I treated myself to a subscription to The Racing Pigeon. In the second edition that I received on 19th January, I was surprised to read in your column a reference to my grandfather; W.G. Davidson of Kilwinning and his pigeon Faith. I thought you might be interest to see a picture of the tankard that my grandfather received for the achievement, showing that Faith completed the race three times in 1960, 1961 and 1964, beating the record twice. I had a descendant of Faith, a 1985 grizzle cock. I kept him for stock but and bred a fantastic little grizzle hen from him which went on to perform very well at club and fed level for me. Not to the standard of her ancestor though. Keep up the good work in the Pigeon Press as I have thoroughly enjoying it all so far, wishing you all the best for the new season; yours Graeme Davidson’.

The Murphy Hen

Received a nice phone call and email from Rob Glover from Earl Shilton informing me that he had been to Chris Sutton the photographer and had his good blue hen picture taken and would be sending me up a copy of her. In 2012 I had to visit Mick McMurchie of Glenrothes about something and while there had a look at his pigeons and picked out a dark chequer hen in his widowhood hen section. He informed me that she was a Deweerdt from Rob Glover and gave me Rob’s number to contact him which I did. Rob informed me that he would rather do a swap with me than for me to buy some pigeons from him; which was fine by me. One of these youngsters turned out to be ‘The Murphy Hen’ whom Rob tells me is the best hen he has ever owned. Her performances are as follows; in 2017 she nearly pulled it off by winning the Midland National Flying Club from Poitiers. This was to be their Bordeaux National race but they brought the birds back to Poitiers which is 432 miles to Rob instead of the 530 miles from Bordeaux. The convoy of 984 birds were liberated at 07-20 am into a West to North West wind, but she was beaten by a very good pigeon flying 83 miles further to the loft of Mr & Mrs B Fisher & son of Todmorden who beat Rob by a yard and ‘The Murphy Hen’ ended up winning 1st section 2nd open MNFC. This is pigeon racing and we take our hat off to the winner, I would rather be beaten by a bird flying further than me than one who is a 100 mile shorter. Rob’s hen also won 1st section 1st open MNFC 2 bird club; 1st Leicester Continental club; 1st Warwickshire Federation and won 2nd SC section 6th open Long Distance ACE award MNFC 2017. The previous year she won 5th section 61st open MNFC Bordeaux 1496 birds. She also won 3rd section 11th open MNFC 2 bird club; 2nd Leicester Continental club; 2nd Leicester federation and 4th Warwickshire Federation and was 2nd SC section 6th open Long Distance ACE award MNFC 2016. In 2015 she won 31st section 121st open MNFC Bordeaux 1727 birds. She also won 1st section 17th open MNFC 2 bird club; 9th Leicester Continental club; ALSO in 2016 she won 12th section 53rd open MNFC Ancenis 3807 birds; 9th Leicester Continental club; 5th Leicester federation and 20th Warwickshire Federation and was also 39th section 251st MNFC Ancenis 4268 birds in 2017. 2nd Warwickshire 2 bird club Ancenis. Sire of The Murphy Hen is a direct son of Gilmour Brothers of Leven’s ‘Robbie’s Boy’ winner of 1st & 50th open SNFC Falaise. This son is also the sire of our 4th open SNFC Alencon winner at 574 miles and she in turn is the dam of Kevin’s 26th open SNFC Falaise winner in 2017. This son is also the sire of my bird raced in the Barcelona Challenge Loft by John McGee that was 9th home from Narbonne and 15th bird to the loft from Barcelona. The dam of Rob’s Murphy Hen is a direct daughter of ‘Kingdom Spirit’ George & Brian Hunters of Dunfermline’s wonderful hen who won 10 times in the Scottish National. So you will see that she is steeped in proven long distance Scottish National winning blood. See attached photograph of ‘The Murphy Hen’ raced by Rob Glover of Earl Shilton and Bred and Gifted by Joe Murphy.

Good SNFC Birds

I start this week with the Grant French & son partnership of Haddington whose chequer white flight cock GB15S 03170 has won 3 open positions in the SNFC. In 2016 he won 394th open from Buckingham a distance of 283 miles but did not win a section prize. However he was sent to Littlehampton a few weeks later and he won 56th section B 122nd open flying 368 miles. In 2017 he was again sent to Buckingham and won 9th section B 31st open to win his 3rd diploma.  We now come to another chequer white flight cock SU14M 423 flown by T Jack of Camelon. This cock’s first diploma was won in 2015 from the Portsmouth race point a distance of 384 miles were he won 2nd section E 297th open. We now come to the 2017 season and he wins twice from the first 2 inland nationals from Buckingham a distance of 299 miles he won 48th section E 322nd open then a few weeks later he was entered into the Bedhampton race and he won 35th section E 346th open flying 374 miles.  We now come to George Veitch of Pencaitland who also won with a chequer white flight cock SU14E 16 in 2015 he won 203rd open from Eastbourne flying 379 miles but did not win a section diploma. Then in 2016 he was sent to Ypres and he won 18th section B 34th open flying 422 miles, and in 2017 he went back to the same race point and won 30th section B 67th open and now requires one more section prize from over the English channel to win a SNFC Silver Award and we wish George every success in 2018. I finish off this weeks feature with a chequer pied hen SU15S 4303 raced by John Hodgson of Annan. In 2016 she won 23rd section A 50th open from Buckingham a distance of 226 miles. In 2017 she went to the Bedhampton race a distance of 301 miles and she won 412th open but no section prize. She then went to the Gold Cup race from Alencon and won 16th section A 25th open flying 475 miles.  

This week’s Photos

Of the 2 birds taken by Jim Hannah are as follows; the ‘Hannah’s Red Cock’ (don’t know if this has any association to Jim JM) was raced by J Wyper of Galashiels in the Scottish Borders. The second bird Irish Connection won the SHU Celtic Cup in 2017 and was bred by Gary Gibson of Northern Ireland and raced by John McNeill of Broxburn.

Joe’s Joke

Changing Values as We Age

An elderly lady was standing at the railing of the cruise ship holding her hat tight so that it would not blow away in the wind. A gentleman approached her and said, "Pardon me, madam. I do not intend to be forward but did you know that your dress is blowing up in this high wind?”. “Yes, I know," said the lady. "I need both my hands to hold onto this hat." "But madam, you must know that you are not wearing any panties and your privates are exposed!" said the gentleman in earnest

The woman looked down, then back up at the man and replied, "Sir, anything you see down there is 75 years old. I just bought this hat yesterday!"  

You have got to love older people!

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 log onto www.elimarpigeons.com www.fancierchat.co.uk www.pigeon-chat.co.uk and www.Pigeonbasics.com - Pigeon Racing the Basics! Who wish my weekly contribution portfolio on pigeon topics from Scotland

© Compiled by Joe Murphy