MAYFIELD RPC
'' INTO THE WEST ''
Continuing on from our previous article I would like on this occasion to introduce and welcome into our club two of the most genuine, enthusiastic fanciers I have personally ever met. Although new to racing I have no doubt they are destined to do well in the sport. The following is a brief insight into the lives of two fellow club members who are about to step foot into the racing arena. Mayfield rpc led by Chairman Tom Murphy is a club built upon friendship, honesty, trust and diplomacy which is something that the following members have in abundance.
Alan Riordan,
We start by recognising the first of two of the nicest individuals one could wish to meet. Alan Riordan resides just outside the old famous market town of Macroom in Co. Cork. Macroom town is situated in a valley of the Sullane River which is a tributary off the famous river Lee. Macroom is about halfway between Cork city and Killarney, it is a town that has a population of less than 4,000 people. The town stretches for about 2 miles and consists of mainly two long streets. Not too far from the village is a place known as the Gearagh a natural nature reserve. It was thought that the area was wooded since the end of the last ice age 8,000 bc. It consisted mainly of large oak and ash trees. The reserve was gutted in 1954 when a hydro-electric scheme led to extensive tree felling and flooding which led to submerged houses being visible around the famous 2 mile bridge. This resulted in the loss of sixty percent of the former oak woodland. Today the Gearagh offers a rare and rich diversity of wildlife. Back to Macroom and it is a town traditionally known as '' the town that never reared a fool'' and this term certainly applies to Alan Riordan. Indeed outside of pigeons Alan successfully runs his own dog business where the public is provided with an excellent facility in which a persons or family pet can be cared for to the highest of standards. Having seen this facility first hand myself i must say it is superbly set out. In fact not alone does he offer such a great service with the dogs but he is also not shy himself of a bit of competition and with his knowledge and interest i wasn't surprised to hear of his countless victories with his own dogs in the show arena . Alan was quick to mention that he has travelled many a mile for a dog show and is a regular in Belfast and Dublin, well done Alan. Moving on, Alan has always had a fascination with pigeons and in 2017 he will take his first steps into the racing arena. With the abundance of enthusiasm on display im sure it wont long before success comes to meet him. Alan's loft was purchased from a gentleman in Cork city known to the locals as' elmo.' Elmo was keeping pigeons for a while but unfortunately he had to return back to the Philippines hence the sale. With the deal done Alan quickly set about his business and before long the loft was in place, a lovely 24 ft loft with aviaries attached and divided into 4 sections this is to be his racing loft and is also very well complimented by a tidy 12ft x 8ft stock loft which currently holds about 18 pairs. Along with the lofts also came the pigeons and a promising start was made as these birds contain the great Frank Tasker and Jan Aarden bloodlines. Alan was quick also to make me aware of the great support he received from Mayfield rpc committee and members. Alan wished to express his gratitude also to Mayfield club president Jim Cummins for generously providing ybs to him and also for his advice and encouragement along the way. Further to that Alan wanted to thank vice- secretary Ger O' Sullivan for his help and for also introducing him to the great Drew Caskey. Drew and Ger have also provided Alan with some top quality pigeons and I’m certain along with Jim’s they will compliment his team nicely. Like most being a family man, keeping pigeons on top of trying to operate a business it isn't easy and time is valuable, but being so passionate about this great sport Alan will pursue his objectives in totality and with the world of advise at his disposal the future is bright. On a recent visit to Alan's, his passion for the pigeon sport was very evident to see and with his lofts sitting in a panoramic setting overlooking some glorious countryside i must say it was a pleasure. I also must say the birds that were on display were an absolute credit to him and would have pleased even the most experienced fancier with the condition dripping from them they were a picture of health. With his plans in place Alan hopes to compete with the excellently organised I.H.U.NFC next season and like many before him his dream is to fly the channel crossing into Ireland and i have no doubt this will become reality soon enough like everything time and patience being the story of the day. On behalf of the committee and members of Mayfield rpc I would like to wish you and your family the very best for the future.
Alan Riordan pictured here in front of his fantastic loft set up accompanied by his beautiful german shepherd dog - Denis Lucey and Thomas Murphy pictured here in front of one of Denis's lovely lofts
Denis Lucey,
The next individual is also another super addition to our club. Denis Lucey is a highly motivated, enthusiastic gentleman and certainly like his fellow club mate Alan he too has all the credentials to be highly successful. Denis a hardworking character whose daily routine involves the managing of the family farm which is set on many acres of land. With the task of looking after the farm and livestock including sheep and cattle Denis is kept fairly busy on his feet. On enquiring Denis informed me that the farm was to take on a different direction with the sheep numbers to be reduced and the cattle to be increased. Raw dedication and absolute efficiency was evident in abundance with Denis carrying out his duties with pristine precision. I’m sure Denis is no stranger to the odd calving call and losing a few hours sleep here and there. Denis lived in Dublin for a long time in fact up until he was 25 years old and was always around pigeons from an early age. Like so many others Denis's first loft was the super reliable rabbit hutch and from there in time expansion was inevitable and before long a loft was erected, but unfortunately never raced. As time moved on Denis was to embark on a different journey which would take him from the east coast of Ireland to the west. Denis along with his lovely partner Louise were to relocate back to Louise’s home turf where she had grown up. This home turf is a small island located on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean known as Inishbofin which is situated just off the coast of connemara, County Galway. This was a big change from a busy city like Dublin. Inishbofin Island has less than 200 inhabitants but is very popular with tourists. The name Inishbofin is derived from the Irish name meaning the ''islands of the white cow''. There are several legends concerning the origins of the islands name and according to one legend ' the island was actually a floating place until some fishermen landed on it in a fog, by bringing fire onto the island, they dispelled the magic, fixing it in place. They then saw an old woman 'driving' a white cow, which turned into a rock when the woman struck it with a stick'. Inishbofin lies about 8 km off the coast of Connemara. Much of the island is a special area of conservation due to the presence of corn crake birds and seals. The island has no trees's or forest's whatsoever as any wood was cut down and used as heating fuel. Due to the high level of salt in the air trees were never to re-establish themselves.
A taste of the beautiful scenery - East of Denis's lofts - I think it's a no vote from Denis!
Back to Denis and while on the island Denis's mind was once more being occupied by pigeons and with a loft in place pigeons were purchased from alpine lofts. Denis was once more in a good place and was enjoying his birds in fact Denis would frequently be seen training his pigeons from the mainland and the birds would cross the short 8km stretch of water on a regular basis to the island but sadly at the time an opportunity to race just didn't materialise. As time moved forward Denis pondered frequently about certain situations and with a lot of consideration a conscientious family decision was made .After less than 2 years on the island one more move was to be made. This time they found themselves heading back to Denis's grassroots i.e. the ''real capital of Ireland'' the county of Cork and the exact destination was a small village known as Inchigeela. A famous village, Inchigeela is located in a gaeltacht area (Irish language spoken) and is famed for its beautiful landscapes. The famed river Lee passes through this village and with a population of just a few hundred people life is relatively peaceful. Unfortunately Inchigeela village has seen a decline in fortune over the years, where once nearby lakes were very popular with anglers this is no longer the case as the loss of the salmon on the river lee has had its impact. Two massive dams are preventing the salmon from accessing the lee river's upper reaches. One very famous old establishment remains open for business to this day known as Creedon's hotel, whilst other guesthouses and accommodations in the area have all but vanished. Back to Denis and I must say on recently visiting him the views on display could only be described as breathtaking, a picturesque scene of immense beauty. With Denis settling down and with family and business taken care of, the lofts were once more playing on the mind in fact I don’t believe they were ever out of his mind or at least not for long anyway. Denis swiftly took action and it wasn't long before 3 lovely lofts were in place plus a team of birds to suit his needs. Denis stated to me that he is only interested in birds that have flown the channel birds with big hearts and with strong constitution. Denis has acquired birds that have that heart with the famous Busschaerts amongst them. Denis like his good friend Alan Riordan is to race pigeons for the first time in the upcoming season and I have no doubt it wont be the first or last we hear of these two .Denis wished to thank and acknowledge his many friends that helped him over the years and especially his friends in Galway whom Denis keeps in regular contact with to this day. I would once more like to take the opportunity on behalf of the comittee of Mayfield rpc to wish Denis and his family all the best for the future and also we wish both Denis and Alan the best of luck with the racing in the year ahead.
ALAN BUSTEED
