Winged wonder lands lofty laurel

An Ennis-based racing pigeon, owned by Georgie Guilfoyle and Michael McMahon, is believed to be the only one from 2,000 birds to make it home from Penzance in Cornwall last weekend. The steadfast pigeon, which was bred in the owners’ loft in Marian Avenue, won the Penzance Open, which is called a “smash race.”

The doughty three-year-old faced into a northwest wind on departure at 9.45am on Sunday before flying into Ennis at 9.45am last Monday. He was the only pigeon recorded returning to the West of Ireland.
“He’s got something that a lot of the others haven’t got. He was able to work his way over,” Georgie explained, adding that the nameless pigeon had crossed 150 miles of water from Penzance to the South of Ireland.
“He’s been flying into the pigeon loft in Marian Avenue since he was a youngster. He would have flown in only inland races up to that, from Ballycastle in Antrim and Malin Head,” Georgie noted, pointing out that the pigeon is a unique breed.
“He’s our own brand, you could call him. We have our own strain, our own family of pigeons.”
He acknowledged that breeders can never be certain if they will see their pigeons again, once they set off racing.
“Once it’s a race, you just don’t know. Once they go out across the water and have to fly the channel it becomes very difficult. They have a homing instinct but you have to train them to race. A pigeon that’s only homing would take a long time to get home.
“He could home over a period of a week or two. Whereas a pigeon that’s racing, he’s just going to keep going for home till he gets there,” he said.
The Banner Pigeon Racing Pigeon Club in Ennis has about 25 members but anybody interested in joining is asked to contact Georgie Guilfoyle on 086 8733285 or club secretary Bob Choppin on 086 8245224.