Spikes 90th Birthday in the Emerald Isles

Tom Corrie jnr

This great sport, gives us the opportunity to make great friendships.

We have been friends with Spike Emmett and family when pigeons brought us together some time in the eighties when visiting the Blackpool show.

Year after year we made our annual pilgrimage to Blackpool show, to meet up socially with the Dublin lads and thereafter through the years we have travelled over the water, them like wise to continue this great friendship..

Spike Emmett is a true gentleman who is a well respected figure in the Dublin pigeon fancy, a real character of the sport, who loves his pigeons.

Spike in his prime 

After a quick plane ride from Edinburgh to Dublin, we met up with Martin Emmett, who took us for a lovely breakfast at James and Elaine Emmett’s home.

Thereafter we travelled the short trip to see Spike, on arrival he was out cleaning the lofts with the vigour of a twenty year old, at this time we spent some time looking over his cracking team of pigeons.

Thing that struck me was, I think Spike is getting younger looking(It must be that black tonic they drink over there)

Then we were down to the local pigeon corn depot for a chat and a look around some of the lofts, and we were made feel very welcome.

Then onto meet up with good friend Mick Gilligan &, Liam Donnelly and also had a chat with the Savage brothers during a at a clearance auction in the pub called the Pub at the bottom of the hill.

We enjoyed a few shandies in the afternoon then back to James for dinner and then we were all set for Spikes big party evening.

Spikes night was full to capacity and even the Mayoress of Finglas turned out to wish him well.

  Spike with Mayoress and good friend Vincent Black     -      Spikes birthday cake     -     Spikes invitation card

Old Tom gave us a classic on the mike to "Sweet Caroline”, and thereafter the floor was full. “Tom you've still got it".

The night like most good night passed quickly turning to day and the next morning we travelled over to see Danny Dalton, what a cracking set up with top class pigeons. Thanks Danny after an earlier mix up with the time schedule.

Danny Dalton        -         Danny Daltons new Young bird loft for 2017

 Spike with good friend Tom Corrie

Like always we never seem to have enough time before we finally said our farewells to Spike and his family.

We would like to thank the family for their wonderful hospitality and friendship and we are all looking forward to Spikes 100th birthday.

Thanks from Tom, Peter Martin and Tom Jnr for a wonderful weekend of hospitality and memories.

The Emmett family are the salt of the earth people and a real credit to our sport.

God willing we will meet again at Blackpool 2017 to continue our great friendship.

Tom Corrie Jnr