Pigeon racing: The young fanciers keeping the sport alive

Keelie Wright has picked up top prizes and has become well known within pigeon racing

For the uninitiated the world of the pigeon fancier conjures up an image of an old man in a flat cap, with the sport of racing the birds perhaps considered a pursuit for those of a certain vintage.

But now there is no doubt that the sport is in decline and many fear the skills involved will not be passed to the next generation, ultimately lost altogether in the passage of time.

A year-round commitment, mucking out a pigeon loft is certainly not every child's idea of fun but some young people have caught the bug from their family.

They are now taking up the challenge of pigeon racing, releasing their specially-trained homing pigeons, which fly off into the distance and later return home for glory.

Keelie Wright is now a well-known name in pigeon racing circles, having won her first young fancier of the year award at the age of 15.

Keelie, pictured with her mentor Kevin Henderson, has developed a love for her sport

The now 18-year-old was aged four when she started going to a club in Magheralin in County Down with her father and her grandfather.

"I became a member when I was around nine or 10, I've been racing since then and I haven't done too badly," she says.

Keelie has certainly not been put off by the dirty jobs: "From the start my dad said: 'Get in the lofts and clean them out' but it never put me off."

Now her niece, who is two years old, has started taking an interest in the birds, which could mean a fourth generation from the family becomes involved.

'They call me pigeon girl'

As the youngest in the club and its only female, during the Covid-19 pandemic Keelie helped her dad and her grandfather to run it in order to protect the older, vulnerable members.

"Everybody in the club is so helpful even now, offering to raise birds and there is just a real sense of community," she says.

At first many people were confused about her choice of hobby but later they understood it.

Keelie and fellow rising star Tom Larkin are the third generation of pigeon fanciers within their respective families

"I am known as the pigeon girl but everyone is really supportive, which I think is cool and teachers are always asking questions about it."

Keelie now shows her finest pigeons, having being mentored by Kevin Henderson at her club.

She got her father back into showing pigeons too and says it takes a lot of time to ensure they are in the best condition.

"My father joked that now that I am 18 he can face me in competitions," says Keelie.

"I am going to university next year but I think I am going to have to come back because I think he will work against my pigeons."

'It's in our blood'

The Larkin brothers from Aghagllon in County Antrim got their first pigeons in 2019.

Fifteen-year-old Harry, Tom, aged 11, and Joseph, who is five, race under the name HTJ Larkin.

The Larkin brothers got their first racing pigeons in 2019

Their father Alan is also involved in the sport alongside his brothers, just as their father was before them.

"It's just in our blood - you will be out on a Saturday and you will be looking up to see if you can see any birds on their way home," he says.

Alan got back into the sport later in life after his father Jackie was diagnosed with dementia.

"Pigeons were one of the few things he always wanted to talk about - he just loved the pigeons, especially the ones with colour," recalls Alan.

He took his sons along to his brother's loft in Portadown in County Armagh but the travel led them to losing interest.

But on noticing that the Royal Pigeon Racing Association (RPRA) had a young fanciers programme he got his sons involved with their own pigeons and set up a loft.

"They just love it now - Harry is busy with exams but is still involved with the club and Tom is the man main really," says Alan.

"Joseph has Down's syndrome but he just loves the birds."

The brothers were awarded the NIPA young fanciers of the year prize in 2022

The trio have won more than 20 first prizes, including the 2021 and 2022 Northern Ireland Provincial Amalgamation (Nipa) young fanciers of the year and the RPRA Irish region young fanciers 2022.

Alan is "extremely proud" of what his sons have managed to accomplish in such a short space of time.

For Tom the best bits about the sport are winning and going to the club, which he says is "good craic", but he doesn't enjoy cleaning out the loft.

He is looking forward to competing with his father in the future as, in his words, "he never wins anything anyway".

The sport is expensive though and Alan says his sons could not have achieved the success they have had without the generosity of fellow club members who donated birds to them over the years.

'It's not a sport you stumble upon'

Nipa chairman Pat McLaughlin fears distractions in the digital age will drive many would-be fanciers away from the sport.

"I look at my own grandchildren with their tablets and their phones - it does really worry me", he says.

Tom loves the sport but admits that cleaning out the lofts is not his favourite part

"As far as young people getting involved, they really have to have a family connection as it's not a sport you stumble upon."

Pat, 70, says that in his club of 23 members, 10 are aged 70 or over, with the youngest in their 50s.

"It is great to see young people involved but there are very few and perhaps it is not as publicised as much as in the past," he says.

Pat can remember the rush of every "pigeon man" to buy their copy of the now-long-gone Ireland's Saturday Night to see their name in the pigeon notes.

Now he hopes young people such as Keelie and the Larkin brothers, winning awards in the UK and Ireland, will only help to raise the profile of the sport.