The
Professional - Alan Darragh - Cullybackey
Northern Ireland
5
x 1st Irish National (INFC) - 5
x Section B Fancier Of The Year (NIPA)
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Alan
Darragh
pictured recentley at the Annual Cullybackey &District
Prize Night along with some of his awards. |
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INFC
President Ken McConaghie
presents the masterful Alan Darragh with one of his many
National awards at the 2006 presentation held
at the Stormont Hotel in Belfast. |
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In any walk of life
you normally have to pay to see or indeed talk to any professional figure,
that’s the feeling I had when spending the evening in the company
of Alan Darragh from Cullybackey in County Antrim.
Already many influential figures within the pigeon fraternity are talking
about the racing exploits of Alan Darragh as will the future generations
of pigeon fanciers on this Island of Ireland, and indeed further afield.
Spending time in the company of Alan and indeed listening to his understanding
of pigeon racing and methods involved in achieving continual success is
nothing short of amazing, Alan has a fantastic concept as regards pigeon
racing something that makes him stand out from the rest of excellent fanciers
that I have had the pleasure of spending time with. A very successful
and extremely busy joiner by trade Alan duplicated this gene of success
into the art of pigeon racing and has accumulated an excellent CV that
would stand head and shoulders alongside many of the greats currently
in the World of Pigeon Racing. Remembering of course he is still young
as far as Legends are concerned and has a frightening hunger and appetite
for further success that nears the level of scary.
Much has already been wrote over the years with regards Alan’s fantastic
racing achievements, I had in my original plans hoped more to emphasize
on the racing systems and practices put in place at Swallow Brae Lofts
to maximize the changes of a fancier becoming a winner firstly at Club
level never mind Section Fancier of the Year or winning an Irish National.
That all changed on talking with Alan for close to three hours. I know
before I go any further how simple this system and organizational aspect
of the Darragh loft is going to come across and a lot of you the readership
will be amazed, but take it from me we had a frank talk no holes barred
and anybody who knows Alan can vouch for me that black is black and white
is white with this man, if he didn’t want to answer a question he
would tell you so, rather than a lie, thankfully all mine were answered
with just one tip that he would rather not print with reference to the
bathing of pigeons prior to races which I will duly honour.
Just to give a brief break down of the man in question up until the present
day. Alan Darragh has been involved with pigeons since 1962 when as a
young boy he learned his regimental winning apprenticeship from his father
Jack a World War served Royal Marine with the British Forces. Joining
Cullybackey HPS as Alan Darragh he was to win the Novice Cup two seasons
later in 1963, a prize presentation memory that still lives strong with
Alan as he can still recall that such occasion with deafening applause
from some of the Cullybackey greats at that time including the formidable
E G Leckey who was always willing to help a novice and an excellent ambassador
to National racing in Ireland.
As we all do, well most of us anyway, we search for the other birds come
a certain age and Alan was no different, capturing a star in Betty who
he was to later marry and set up home a couple of miles from his parents
home. Settling down to married life Alan kept a hardened relationship
with the feathered friends visiting his family home as frequently as he
possibly could, but with age Alan’s father Jack decided to call
it a day in 1976 and this prompted Alan to move the birds to his new home
that he had settled into with wife Betty.
Alan continued to fly with Cullybackey for a further 2 - 3 years before
through working friendships joined a Club in the neighboring village of
Ahoghill in 1979 were he enjoyed many enjoyable season’s of success,
up until 1984 when an enjoyable season turned into an amazing season as
Alan was to become Irish National Flying Club Champion after timing pigeons
from all 5 Cross Channel races, you may say so what, but that particular
year seen an outbreak of Newcastle’s Disease which meant all races
were from the North Road. Many races had very few birds home, but Alan
was to time from them all, even up to this day some 23 years later Alan
still holds the record as the only fancier to time from five cross channel
races from the North Road in one seasons racing with the Irish National
Flying Club.
The following year 1985 saw a new house being built for Alan back in his
original village of Cullybackey, a couple of miles to the North of the
Cullybackey Clubrooms which prompted a move back to racing with the Cullybackey
Flying Club as it was at that time. Young birds were raced that year with
a fair level of success being achieved even with the turmoil of yet another
move, but this was more of an establishing time as far as a winning team
was concerned for the new address. What a job he did that year as the
first of Alan Darragh’s five 1st National’s was to come with
a pigeon named ‘Independent Ranger’ in 1986 from Les Landes
in Jersey flying 432 miles in a headwind and nothing like starting at
the top as not only did ‘Independent Ranger’ win a National
it was indeed the Kings Cup which is the top honour for any loft racing
into Ireland.
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'Independant
Ranger'
winner of the INFC Kings Cup in 1986 |
‘Swallow Brae
Lad’ in 1989 was to be the second 1st Open National winner for Alan
winning the Yearling National from Sennen Cove 332miles and a tidy sum
of £4,000 but the icing on the cake was winning the car pool and
a new car.
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'Swallow
Brae Lad'
winner of the INFC Yearling National 1989 |
‘Swallow Brae
Surprise’ was to complete the hat trick in 2003 after winning 1st
Open Irish National Flying Club Friendship National from Fougeres some
503 miles to the Swallowbrae Lofts, Alan was also 3rd Open that day and
secured the 2 Bird Average. I must also point out that these are only
the National winners I am listing leading up to the present day but their
have been two many 2nd Open ’s to name just when I recall 2003 with
Swallow Brae Surprise’ I must not forget ’Swallow Brae Dawn’
who in 2002 finished 2nd Open in the Kings Cup for Alan nearly winning
the much sought after award twice.
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'Swallow
Brae Surprise'
winner of The Friendship National in 2003 |
2004 and the Wadebridge
Young Bird National was nearly yet another 1st National having just been
piped into the 2nd Open spot, but Alan wasn’t to wait long for National
win number four, that came about by a new race that the Irish National
Flying Club started namely the Old Hens National from Wadebridge, this
National is held in conjunction with the Y/B National from the same destination
to try and encourage a bigger return of youngsters with the experience
of the seniors. Alan just didn’t get one return but two together
to finish 1st & 2nd Open in the National result, the 1st Open winner
was named ’Swallow Brae First Lady’ .
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'Swallow
Brae First Lady'
winner of the Old Hens National from Wadebridge in 2004 |
Records were broken
in 2006 when Alan clocked yet another National winner once again, winning
the Friendship National for the second time in three years, this achievement
made Irish National Flying Club history as Alan Darragh is the only fancier
ever on the shores of Ireland to win 5 x 1st Nationals.
This winner was named ‘Swallow Brae At Last’ and homed in
from Portland after racing was prevented from France due to the fear of
an outbreak of Avian Bird Flu. I think you will all agree some achievement
by any means of the imagination, indeed anybody who sends to National’s
will know how hard it is to get one home never mind winning the Open not
once but five times and remembering that Alan flies an extra 150 miles
further from the shortest flying member in the South Sect of the INFC.
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'Swallow
Brae At Last'
winner of The Friendship National in 2006 |
All the above success
Alan puts down first of all to good birds, when he says good he means
tried and tested, as for channel racing he maintains you will need a level
of Irish Blood in the pedigree of your potential winners that you send
to face the stiff channel should it even be Alan’s favored North
wind. Alan openly admits to trying new families over the years as the
old Irish blood will not be around forever. One family that has impressed
him is that of the Boscheind Flyers namely Andre Van De Wiel and Jan Schreuder
he rates them highly as very brave and intelligent pigeons that will face
any test put in front of them, something Alan has always done is test
every pigeon first of all before it enters the stock loft and more importantly
before it enters the breeding chain.
Individuality is something that Alan prides himself on, throughout the
lofts from the Stock Loft right through to the Young Bird lofts, seeking
to find what delights and what excites any one individual pigeon as he
puts it no two are the same like humans we have a lot in common but we
are all individual and what ones likes the others may not. When Alan starts
to talk in lengths and with a fearful but common sense understanding like
this, its very understandable why he is were he is today as regards pigeon
racing.
Alan recently sat on a Ligoniel & District Quiz Night panel in Belfast
along with Les Green from Manchester and Mike Staddon of Crewkerne in
aid of the Childrens Cancer Fund, so a lot of what is mentioned now will
be familiar to all who were fortunate to be in attendance. I know for
a fact that many fanciers who attended that night were highly impressed
with Alan Darragh.
Widowhood racing is what Alan practices best right through to the longest
event from France. The pairs are mated mid December, sometimes eggs from
the stock pigeons are switched below pairs of racers pending on what he
is looking or what is required. When the youngsters are about fourteen
days old the hen and one youngster are removed to the young Bird Section,
the cock rears the other youngster. The pairs are mated again to have
the pigeons on eggs for the first race. On the Thursday, day before dispatch
on the Friday, the hens are taken away. When the cocks come home on the
Saturday the boxes have been cleared and the cocks home to the box, no
hen is given. For the next fortnight the cocks are confined to their boxes
perching on up turned nest bowls only leaving the loft for an hours exercise
morning and night I must point out now that the widowers are trained approximately
10 times prior to the first race starting from the distance that they
encountered as youngsters on their first toss about 12 miles. Taking them
back to the original place allows for the penny to drop and also gives
the pigeons a sense of understanding as to what is required once again
over the coming months.
Something Alan admits to is that it isn’t necessary for the cocks
to see the hens before being basketed every week, a lot of Alan’s
theories are based around the work level and what is required and necessary
around the loft without giving yourself undue work that inevitably will
not better your position on a race day. Another thing he is very alert
to is not getting the cocks to pumped up and over excited as he admits
this can do more damage than good, pending on the level of feeding over
the week with reference to distance and prevailing weather conditions
he openly admits you can ruin your winning chances at the last hour, explaining
that when a widowhood cock gets over excited he is burning energy up,
the pigeon should be reserving this for his destined race although a lot
of fanciers would see this as a plus not this Legend. Another small tip
is that with extra small seeds being added to the last feed on a Thursday
evening a cock that eats up the maize should be kept at home, you should
be paying attention and looking for the ones that are only interested
in the small seeds.
As for the feeding Teurlings was the preferred mixture for a few years
due to sponsorship from them, but until last week their was no agent here
for their corn so it just wasn’t productive for the company nor
Alan having to bring in large amounts at one time although with the new
sole agent being Keith Kernohan from Ballymena Teurlings may very well
be the preference once again. Currently Alan mixes his own with a combination
of Superior Widowhood Mixes, ideally he is looking for approximately a
break down of around 40% maize with a varied amount of small seeds. With
the completed mixture he prefers to see three different types of maize
in it.
As for the lofts what an array Alan Darragh has, I must mention these
at this point as Alan can hold certain cocks back to mate up at different
times during the season pending on what particular race he has them ear
marked for, normally one month prior to the race which will see them being
sent on a small youngster his must preferred and successful nesting condition
over the years, but at the same time he keeps the rest of the widowhood
team to hand, to work so many exemplary systems and different conditions
you need the room and space that Swallow Brae Lofts offer. The widowhood
pigeons are raced to 3 lofts namely 10ft x 8ft, 24ft x 7ft and an 8ft
x 8ft which are adequately sectioned off accordingly. Amazingly the start
of the season would see about 44 or 45 widowhood cocks, spread over these
three lofts no overcrowding. The widowhood hens that are not raced are
kept in a loft 8ft x 5ft plus an 8ft x 5ft aviary. The widowhood hens
which are raced stay in one of the Y/B sections, about 8ft x 8ft.
Young Bird racing is something that Alan tends to take a back seat with,
seeing it more as an educational time for the years ahead. Alan normally
rears around 100 but this has increased over the last few seasons due
to the number that he annually gives towards good cause‘s this year
I heard the figure of 30 donated to worthy causes, the remainder are housed
in a seven sectioned loft which measures in total 44ft x 8ft, so again
over crowding won‘t be found here. The loft has seven sky lights,
with around half of them darkened, the first round of youngsters are kept
in two sections. The second round are kept in two more sections and so
on. This system prevents the later rounds from keeping the older youngsters
back, and also prevents the later youngsters from being taken away by
the older ones when roaming commences, and possibly dropped.
When the youngsters are mature enough they are separated and kept that
way up until the 2nd or 3rd race when they are all on a level par as regards
training a racing then they will be allowed to roam and mingle between
sections selecting mates if they wish, ideally this is the best time frame
to have youngsters in a nesting condition for our extreme Y/B distance
events which will see us competing from Penzance in Cornwell some 329
miles, for a youngster this is the ultimate test and no man knows that
better than Alan Darragh.
Natural resistance is what Alan aims for with his pigeons, having been
known for not only excluding a sick youngster but seeking it’s parents
out also, this no nonsense attitude he credits for his continual high
performances, no rubbish is accepted regardless of what the pedigree says
and what money was spent. As for supplements again very few, with much
of them coming from Natural sources, Garlic is used in the water most
weeks with Honey used should the pigeons encounter a difficult race, something
to keep in mind with honey is not to dissolve it in hot water, I was guilty
of that, Alan tells me that I am killing the Vitamin that the Honey holds
by using hot water, he recommends putting it in the drinkers the night
before and it will be dissolved the following morning.
Now for something that he has started to use over the last few years ‘Norban
Products’ supplied by John Norris, Alan tells me they the best products
he has ever used and with that strong a recommendation nearly 90% of his
fellow club members in Cullybackey are using his system that incorporates
four of the products that John Norris offers and guess what Cullybackey
has been clear of Y/B Sickness since. (I spoke to John Norris with regards
the above products and he tells me that the Northern Ireland Agent for
Norban is again Keith Kernohan of Ballymena who carries all his products
and is happy to help anybody looking information or indeed purchasing
any of the products). That just proves the type of fancier Alan is honest
and straight to the point, you ask him any question and he will answer
it as regards performance, systems and supplements. I would even go as
far as to say Alan’s systems and the preparation of National winning
pigeons would merit a hard backed publication on its own, as many fanciers
have did on the mainland and across Europe.
As with many successful fanciers they all have their own thoughts on medication
Alan is no different, he treats for canker once every two weeks and coming
up to the distance events sometimes once a week he thinks this is very
important. No treatment for Cocci has been given in years and Alan added
that if your loft conditions are correct meaning dry with no dampness
and you have a good level of ventilation this isn’t necessary, sawdust
is used on the floors and in the boxes, although not used as a deep litter;
the lofts are scraped once every day with a fresh sprinkling of sawdust.
A blowtorch is used from time to time on the floor and boxes etc. Worms
are not treated for either, after the first round of youngsters is reared,
the pigeons receive neither food or water for three days, this he says
takes care of the worms. They tell me during the quiz panel at Ligoniel
recently the worming issue raised a few eye brows only for Alan to tell
them not to go back to the loft after the first or second day because
you will feel sorry for them and no doubt feed and water them. All Alan’s
birds have access to grit, black charcoal and an abundance of picking
stones (the latter he tells me is very important). I will pen off for
now but hope to follow up on this article towards the end of the 2007
racing seasons when who knows Alan Darragh may very well have broke more
records. I wish Alan a man I class as a true credit and ambassador to
Irish National Racing every luck in doing just that in the coming seasons.
Listed below are some of the Awards and Trophies won by Alan Darragh
of Cullybackey over recent years.
1984 racing with Irish National Flying Club he won the following Erwin
Trophy for Best Average in all National Races, The Presidents Cup, Best
Average O/B, Yearling and the Two Young Bird Nationals and Diamond Cup,
The Best Average O/B, Yearling and Y/B Channel National.
1986 seen Alan again at the National dinner after winning The King’s
Cup, First bird in The Old Bird National, Diamond Cup, Best Average O/B,
Yearling and Y/B Nationals and Presidents Cup, Best Average O/B, Yearling
and the Two Y/B Nationals
1988 racing with the Northern Ireland Provincial Amalgamation (NIPA) he
was to win the Bertie Fletcher & Son Cup, after winning the Skibbereen
Inland O/B Derby
1989 seen him back to the INFC lifting the Nelson Corry Cup, for winning
The Yearling National.
1992 was to see him win the Section B Fancier of the Year Award along
with an RPRA Meritorious Award he also lifted the following awards at
the NIPA Annual Ladies Night, The McCluggage Cup, Best Average in all
Channel races including Derbies, The Major Lewis Cup, Best Average in
all races from England and Wales and the Devine Memorial Trophy, Best
Average Two Birds in the Old Bird Derby.
In 1993 he won The Robinson Cup with the INFC after finishing 14th Open
King’s Cup from Rennes in France.
1994 back with the NIPA he won a Bronze Award presented to a pigeon making
the prizes twice in the O/Bird Derby from France.
1995 again with the NIPA Section B Fancier of the Year, The B Fox Cup,
Highest Position by NIPA Official, Committee Man or Club Delegate in the
Old Bird Derby from France, The Harper Cup, Best Average in the Old Bird
and Young Bird Derbies (France & Wales)
In 1997 he retained the Section B Fancier of the Year crown as well as
winning in the Gold Ring Y/B National Race and £1,000 with the INFC.
1998 staying with the NIPA he won the following B Fox Cup, Highest Position
by NIPA Official, Committee Man or Club Delegate in the Old Bird Derby
(France normally Dinard) and The McCluggage Cup, Best Average in all Channel
races including Derbies
Another top season in 1999 lifting The McCrory Cup, for winning the Penzance
Old Bird Derby, The J H O’Neill Cup for winning the Penzance Classic,
Surgenor Cup for the Best Average 2nd Talbenny and Penzance, RPRA Meritorious
Award Winner for the Best Single Bird Performance 251-450 Miles and last
but not least another Bronze Award for a pigeon twice in the prizes from
the French O/B Derby.
The turn of the Millennium was an excellent year for Alan winning a Silver
Award with the NIPA for a pigeon three times in the prizes from the French
O/B Derby as well as lifting four awards with the INFC namely The Reid
Trophy, Best Average French Old Bird National and Inland Young Bird National,
The Diamond Cup, Best Average Old Bird, Yearling and Young Bird Nationals,
The Presidents Cup, Best Average Old Bird, Yearling and the Two Young
Bird Nationals and not forgetting a tidy sum of £2,000 for the Gold
Ring Award from the Talbenny Y/B National.
2001 turned out a golden year after being presented with a very rare award
namely the Gold Medal only presented for a pigeon four times in the Prizes
from the NIPA O/B Derby from France (great achievement) Alan also won
The Devine Memorial Trophy, Best Average Two Birds in the French Old Bird
Derby, The B Fox Cup, Highest Position by NIPA Official, Committee Man
or Club Delegate in the Old Bird Derby from France for the 3rd time.
2002 and yet another Section Fancier of the Year Award and to join it
yet another Bronze Award for a pigeon twice in the O/Bird Derby Prizes
from France and to cap off 2002 with the NIPA he was to win an RPRA Mileage
Award for 451 miles and over. Not finished 2002 with Irish National Flying
Club (INFC) was just as productive with yet another four awards, The Nelson
Vase, The First RPRA member in the Redon King’s Cup Race after the
Winner (2nd Open), The NIPA Cup, The first NIPA member in the King’s
Cup Race from Redon, The Jack Gilmore Cup, The Best Average in The Old
Bird National and The Yearling National and The President’s Cup,
The Best Average in The Old Bird, Yearling and the Two Young Bird Nationals.
2003 was yet another National winning year this time The Friendship National
from Fougeres in France, he also collected The H Beattie & Son Cup
for The Best Two Bird Average in the same race.
2004 witnessed yet more dominance in the NIPA from the Darragh lofts winning
The Erwin Trophy, The Best Average in all National and Classic Races,
The Waring Trophy, The best Average in all National Races, The B Fox Cup,
Highest Position by NIPA Official, Committee Man or Club Delegate in the
Old Bird National from France for the 4th time, The Devine Memorial Trophy,
Best average Two Birds in the French Old Bird National, The Best Single
Bird Award for any Distance, another Bronze Award and finally the President’s
Cup.
Another 1st National was recorded in 2005 after winning the Old Hens National
from Sennen Cove and Alan also won The H Beattie & Son Trophy for
Best Two Bird Average in the Friendship National for the second time in
three years. In the NIPA Alan was yet again awarded two Bronze Awards
for birds that had made the prizes twice in the O/Bird National from France.
Records were broke in 2006 when Alan recorded his 5th Irish National Flying
Club win namely the Friendship National from Portland (the only fancier
in Ireland to win five) and also recorded his 5th Section Fancier of the
Year Award with the NIPA and to cap of a magical year he also won another
Silver Award for a pigeon three times in the O/B National result and also
an RPRA Mileage Award (250miles - 450miles).
In conclusion what a record Alan Darragh has, especially timing pigeons
from the distance events, I am sure this man will go down in Irish Racing
history as one of the best or indeed the best fancier ever this Island
has produced, on reflection I feel it a privilege to know him and indeed
regard him as a friend not just to me but my family over the years. A
racing Genus in the Making.
Adie McCormick - (NIPA Press Officer)
E-Mail celestiallofts@aol.com
Tele. 028 92604778
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