Homers Odyssey - Gold Medal 4 Times France
Gold Medal Champions in the Irish Nat racing -
Homer writes - almost 50 years ago I proposed the Gold Medal award for 4 Times in the Kings Cup prizes with the same bird, the first season a bird was able to qualify was in 1982 and I was pleased to be asked to present Gold Medals to G M Kirkpatrick and John McCartan. At that time, It looked like something that could be achieved with ease, but that has not been the case it is a very difficult award to win and the record shows just 16 award winners in almost 50 years, it’s a real test achieved by Champions of Irish long-distance racing.
Gold Medals Winners in the INFC – (Four Times in the Result in the Grand National Kings Cup
1982 – G M Kirkpatrick, Ballymacbrennan
1979 – 119th, 1980 – 83rd, 1981 – 62nd, 1982 – 14th
1982 – J McCartan, Annalong
1979 – 84th, 1980 – 97th, 1981 – 149th, 1982 – 17th
1992 – W Catherwood & Sons, Ballynahinch
1988 – 26th, 1989 – 133rd, 1991 – 7th, 1992 – 48th
993 – M Conlon & Sons, Banbridge
1990 – 26th, 1991 – 14th, 1992 – 89th, 1993 – 68th
1994 – Ron Williamson, Bondhill Soc
1989 – 22nd, 1992 – 126th, 1993 – 113th, 1994 – 147th
1995 – F Scott & Son, Dromore HPS
1992 – 31st, 1993 – 67th, 1994 – 62nd, 1995 – 8th
1995 – Gordon Kirkpatrick, Ballymacbrennan
1991 – 47th, 1992 – 79th, 1993 – 49th, 1995 – 77th
995 – Burns Bros, Comber Social
1992 – 114th, 1993 – 73rd, 1994 – 95th, 1995 – 188th
2011 – J Waring & Son, Lisburn & District
2005 – 24th, 2006 – 53rd, 2010 – 25th, 2011 – 163rd
2012 – Rev T.A.B. Sawyers & Son, Banbridge
2005 – 107th, 2010 – 134th, 2001 – 58th, 2012 – 41st
2012 – N Black & Son, Dromara
2009 – 241st, 2010 – 153rd, 2011 – 200th, 2012 – 52nd
2013 – John Greenaway, Bondhill Soc
2010 – 145th, 2011 – 241st, 2012 – 34th, 2013 – 159th
2018 – A McAteer & Sons, Ballyholland
2015 – 107th, 2016 – 27th, 2017 – 162nd, 2018 – 47th
2019 – J Doheny, Malahide & District RPC
2016 – 62nd, 2017 – 60th, 2019 – 112th, 2021 – 39th
2022 – P Dunlop, Edgarstown
Homer (r) with Mr & Mrs Paul Dunlop from Edgarstown winning the Gold Medal and Diploma in 2022.
2017 – 141st, 2018 – 69th, 2019 – 54th, 2022 – 156th
2025 - F Moran, Malahide & District
2022 71st, 2023 – 3rd, 2024 -42nd, 2025 – 52nd
See pigeonnetwork.com including Forum and INFC History for further articles and reports.
Fintan Moran, Malahide and District, INFC Gold Medal Winner 2025 –
The INFC gold medal is awarded to any pigeon 4 times an open prize winner in the Kings Cup race. The first medals were awarded to Gordon Kirkpatrick and John McCartan in 1982 and Fintan Moran takes the number of fanciers who have won such an award to 15. This is the second time a fancier in the South of Ireland has won this award, the first being Joe Doheny in 2021, both fanciers being members of the Malahide and District RPC.
Fintan holding the sire of the Gold Medal winner. Aoife holding the Gold Medal winner.
The preparation for the 5 year old red hen started in mid-February when she was paired and let rear 1 y/bird. She had 5 inland races, the last race Castletown (160 miles) on the 8th June. She raced celibate up the land and introduced back to her cock a few days after Castletown. She raced consistently up the land flying 3 to 4 ½ hours each race. I decided not to send her to a channel race prior to the King Cup as she had plenty of previous experience from Bude, Penzance etc and having won a Hall of Fame in 2024 for achieving 71st, 3rd and 42nd open St Allouestre (2022 – 2024), always on the day. Prior to basketing for the Kings Cup she was given a few 50 mile tosses and sent sitting on 9 days eggs. I was confident that she would put up a good performance as she handled well and preparations had gone to plan but you need a lot of luck on this final leg.
Finan and Aoife collecting awards at the INFC presentation at the Stormont Hotel in Belfast.
The race turned out to be extremely challenging with no day birds but news started to filter through the following day of some early birds. I clocked the red hen at 6.43am on the 3 rd morning and knew then given the low number of birds clocked on the second day that it was highly likely that she had achieved the gold medal. As she flew onto the landing board it was obvious that she had been attached by a predator as half her tail was missing, this time luck was on her side. Over the 3 days 59 gallant pigeons made the result. The hen was also 4 th in the Single Bird Challenge having previously won the award in 2023 and been placed 10 th in 2024. The red hen and a loft mate won the Harkness Rose Bowl in 2023 for the best 2 bird average (3rd and 6 th Open) when there were 19 day birds.
Picture of the Gold Medal hen prior to basketing for the Kings Cup & Picture of the Gold Medal hen just after clocking.
Her breeding is steeped in the very best of the old long distance English pigeons. Her sire a 2018 red cock won 4 th open INFC Kings Cup St Allouestre and the Harkness Rose Bowl in 2021. His breeding is my old Billy Napper (Up North Combine) pigeons going back 30 years and responsible for many prize winners over the years up to France crossed with Sid and Val Miles of Peasedown St John and Andy Parsons of Salisbury, being inbred to Andy’s No 1 stock cock ‘Tiny Dancer’ who is the sire and gsire of multiple top national and classic prize winners up to Tarbes / Pau. Her dam is ¾ Andy Parsons and ¼ Wilf Reed of Monmouth and an open prize winner from Bude. Fintan Moran
INFC Gold Medal for 4 times in the Blue Riband OB Kings Cup result & The Gold Diploma presented with the INFC Gold Medal.
Tommy Tweed wins Gold Medal in the NIPA -
Out of nearly six thousand pigeons flying 500 miles from France Tommy’s Dream just last month won a coveted gold medal award.
Tommy’s Dream is from the loft of AC & T Tweed from the Rasharkin and District Homing Pigeon Club.
Tommy, his wife Anne and son Chris from The Bravellan Road are rightly very proud of their achievement.
Tommy’s love of pigeons goes right back to 1959 when he was just 13. An old neighbour had a few pigeons and Tommy was hooked.
A gentleman called Willie Smyth gifted Tommy his first pigeons after he built his very own wee loft in 1962. As they say the rest is history!
Tommy Tweed holding his Gold Medal winner in 2024.
So back to Tommy’s Dream. Four years ago It was transported to France to make its way back to The Bravellan Road. The bird had to navigate not only over land but also over the English Channel and the Irish Sea. The next year it completed the journey to claim the Bronze Diploma award.
Champion Tommy's Dream the Gold Medal winner for A C T Tweed of Rasharkin & District HPS.
Last year it completed the journey a third time which won the loft a silver medal. The Rasharkin club have only nine members and to have one of their own receiving a silver medal was a very proud moment.
There were many sleepless nights and much thought went into the decision whether or not they would send Tommy’s dream off to France one more time. If it completed the journey successfully they would collect Gold. Of course the gamble was it may not make it. Eventually they decided to go for it.
It was an anxious wait for the bird to come home. All three of the Tweeds were out checking for Tommy’s dream return and then one morning the dream turned into reality. It was a very emotional homecoming.
Next stop will be the NIPA award ceremony where the official handover of the award will be made. This has only been achieved by one or two others in the history of pigeon racing in Northern Ireland over the years.
A huge congratulations from Fuse to The Tweeds and Tommy’s Dream. Tommy is well known for penning poems and monologues and here he tells his own story.
What a way to complete 50 years clocking pigeons from France. I clocked my first
French pigeon bird in 1974. She was later called “Meadow Queen” when she won 7th open Rennes, Kings Cup 1976, winning us £784, exactly 1/3 of the price we had paid for a brand new Opel Kadett Special which cost £2250 at the time.
My Gold award winner may be the furthest flying winner in the NIPA, sent sitting 10 days, flew 3 races from Roscrea 150miles. No more tosses, just flew each morning with 25 young birds, usually 1 hour+, fed on the best Van Tilburg Varimix, supplied by Henry McLaughlin. Also peanuts and sunflower hearts & iron tonic in the water.
She has won us over £1000 from her past 3 races home from France. I’m under pressure from Anne & Chris to not race her again, but we will just have to watch this space…
Gold Medal Winner in 2024 achieved -
2021 St Malo – 2nd Mid Antrim Combine, 5th Section B & 43rd Open Nipa 1980 birds velo 578
2022 St Malo – 4th Mid Antrim Combine, 7th Section B & 71st Open Nipa 1232 birds velo 280
2023 St Malo – 2nd Mid Antrim Combine, 3rd Section B & 30th Open Nipa 1309 birds velo 625
2024 Plougastel – 3rd Mid Antrim Combine, 4th Section B & 61st Open Nipa 1371 birds Velo 79
Gold Awards 2024 winning a Gold Medal & Gold Diploma (4 Times OB Nat France) –
A C & T Tweed Rasharkin & District Dk Cheq w/f hen GB19R-09182
The Tweed Family collecting the Gold Medal and Gold Diploma at NIPA Ladies NightV
20021 – St Malo 43rd Open & 5th Section B Vel 578, 2022 – St Malo 71st Open & 7th Section B Vel 280, 2023 – St Malo 30th Open & 3rd Section B Vel 625, 2024 – Plougastel 61st Open & 4th Section B Vel 798.
One of the major presentations was the Gold Medal awarded for a bird 4 times in the result of the OB National from France. A C & T Tweed from Rasharkin were the worthy winners in 2024 to join the list of 12 previous winners. Tom Wilson in 2025 brings the Gold Medal total up to 14. The INFC have an equivalent award for 4 times Kings Cup and only 14 winners there, a very worthy achievement, brought up to 15 with Fintan Moran winning the award in 2025.
Little Darling flown by Fintan Moran Malahide & District placed in 2022 71st, 2023 – 3rd, 2024 -42nd, 2025 – 52nd in Kings Cup St Allouestre.
NIPA Gold Medal winners over the years. 2000 – Murphy & Martin of Cookstown with “Billy’s Pride”. 2001 – A Darragh Cullybackey with “Golden Dreams” and Speirs & Campbell from Cookstown with “Tommy Girl”. 2007 – A Darragh Cullybackey. 2008 – B & M Gilmore Ballyclare & District with “Easton Gold”. 2010 – S Corrigan Loughgall with “Blue Boy”. 2011 – Elliott Bros Carrick & District and B McNeide & Sons Lurgan Social with “Miss Consistance”. 2012 – C & L Fryers Dromara and W G Neill Annaghmore. 2023 – G & C Topley Laurelvale with “Honeysuckle”. 2024 – A C & T Tweed Rasharkin & District with “Tommy’s Dream”. 2025 season as below.
Gold Awards 2025 Winning a Gold Medal & Gold Diploma
Tom Wilson Gilford & District - Blue Tip Hen GB20F-05492
Tom Wilson from Gilford & District collecting the Gold award at the 2025 NIPA Ladies Night.
2022 St.Malo - 22nd Open & 8th Section E Vel 623
2023 St. Malo - 20th Open & 7th Section E Vel 681
2024 Plougastel - 31st Open *& 6th Section E Vel 964
2025 Plougastel - 87th Open & 27th Section E Vel 702.
Stop Press - The RPRA Irish Region AGM will be held on the 7th February at 1pm in the Ballymac Hotel, Stoneyford. All correspondence re any proposals etc to be with the Secretary Noel Higginson on or before 10th January 2026. Noel Higginson, 8 Abercorn Square, Ballyclare, BT39 9FJ. 07518748717. Open to all RPRA Members in Ireland.
NIPA Office25 January 2026Latest NIPA news
The AGM of the NIPA will convene in the Protestant Hall Glenavy on Saturday 14th February at 2pm Sharp, ONLY club DELEGATES will be permitted in this Meeting. it is IMPERATIVE that all clubs do their utmost to attend this very important meeting. The AGM for Mid Antrim Combine will be held as usual in middle of March 2026, watch press for details of both meetings.
Proposals received for inclusion on the 2026 NIPA Agenda.
Proposition 1 Submitted by Ballycarry HPS
Delets Rule 49 and replace with new rule 49 which reads as follows that the transporters be cleaned out and disinfected at the end of each season. That prior to the Old & Young bird racing seasons the transporters should be fumigated using smoke bombs. The water tanks on the transporters should be drained and refilled with fresh clean water each week with a sterilisation tablet added to the tank.
Proposition 2 Submitted by Edgarstown HPS & Carrick Social
A video to be taken of birds being watered en-route , at site and on board ship and all feeding when birds are being fed. This to be carried out on all transporters.
HOMER. Willie Reynolds
Tel/Fax: (028) 256 44683
Mobile: 07538 238364
Twitter: willie reynolds@homerbhw>
Email:
www.irishnationalflyingclub.com
