Cork Area News

by Neil Crean

 The Blackpool Show has come and gone for another year and the 40th anniversary was well put together by the organisers despite the unstoppable decline within the sport. It was indeed great to speak to Helen Edwards

in the scribe’s room and discuss in depth her favourite articles within the weekly publication. Helen was and is always interested in the historical aspects of the sport and she has asked for articles from the past to be submitted

so the newer fanciers can preserve the great achievements of those that have gone before us. I told her my father would enjoy this project and we can get some old photographs and articles together in the next few weeks.

I also met with Mr Bob Reeves Snr in the scribes room and we relived the day he timed 'Reevos my Peggy' to win the Pau National the passion he showed when he shared this moment was as if he only timed yesterday

he told me his champion had died and was now in the freezer and should anything happen to him they would both be buried together, a love between bird and fancier and an appreciation for what she achieved for him he could never repay this is pigeon fancying. The Arncliffe Hotel was well organised by Dermot Whitley and as usual he is always at hand to bring any items purchased back to Cork, Waterford and Limerick a task he always enjoys.
           I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who wished my father well after his recent heart operation it was a tough time and especially to Jim and Nora Willis who asked if I could get something published to wish him well.

At this time he is doing well although he won’t see his loft for a while yet.

Blackpool Show

           The recent news from the Cork Federation is that at AGM the officers for 2017 consist of myself as Chairman, Ritchie Mullane as Secretary and Noel Hegerty as Treasurer. The members have asked

if the Fed could include Two Scottish raced for the 2017 season and as we have a good relationship with the Munster Federation it should not pose a problem we hope to be as fair as we can to all the members while also working

within our Budget. We hope to publish our programme within the next few weeks when we hold the second half of our AGM. To help with the hidden costs of transporting pigeons to the national and other channel events we are to hold

an auction in the Mayfield GAA hall in the first week of April some top birds will be on offer which I hope to publish in my next article if any member who can not attend and wishes to bid on a pigeon they can contact the secretary.
          Unfortunately I had an accident during the year and I was not able to cover the local scene I wish to congratulate all of the 2016 winners their achievement's will not go un-noticed in the upcoming weeks.

Neil Crean