The Joys and Pains of a Local Pigeon Keeper   You are in · RoscreaOnline · Community · People Profiles

He is married to a beautiful woman callled Joan, he has three fantastic children, he has three wonderful grandchildren, he is a qualified butcher, a thriving entrepreneur, an astute businessman and the keeper of pigeons with whom he has had an open affair, that he has never tried to hide, for over forty years now.

His name is none other than popular Roscrea man, Mick Fletcher, a name synonymous with Pigeon Keepers throughout Munster and right across the Emerald Isle.

This week The Tipperary Star/Roscrea Online paid a visit to the peaceful surrounds of Dungar, just outside Roscrea where Mick has settled for the last number of years with his lovely family, including of course his beloved pigeons. On entering his picturesque home, with its splendid gardens, and fantastic wood finishing, we were straight away made very welcome and invited to relax in Mick's spacious lawn, where over the next hour or so, we would be treated to a fascinating insight to the world of racing pigeons and how Roscrea people are playing their part in keeping alive what Mick feels is unfortunately a magnificent sport in decline, and requires serious attention if the rewards of pigeon keeping are to survive what will surly be even more turbulent and traumatic times to come.

One of Mick's beautifully finished pigeon lofts in his picturesque garden.

Some say that the first ever pigeon was released by Noah, and we don't need historians to help us realise how long ago that may have been. For centuries, pigeons were used as messengers but as the nineteenth century evolved, keepers of pigeons in line with the competitive spirit that began to really capture society at the time, began to wonder how fast a pigeon could make it from one destination to the other. This thinking, along with the desire to breed better and faster pigeons would eventually lead to the emergence of racing pigeons as an internationally identifiable sport.

Racing pigeons evolved from several crossings of different varieties of domesticated pigeons. These pigeons would be used to race back to their lofts hundreds of miles away at speeds of 45-50mph and in doing so captured the imagination of thousands of enthusiasts around the globe proving to be one of the most popular recreational activities of the early to mid twentieth century.

It is staggering to think that Mick Fletcher, still a relatively young man, has been involved with pigeons for over four decades now. He remembers how he was given his first pigeon as a present on his Holy Communion day. Almost straight away, a love affair began with these feathered friends, an affair that blossoms to this very day.

Indeed a testament to Mick's devotion and passion for keeping pigeons is his role in being a founder member of the Roscrea Pigeon Club. He, along with six other local individuals, formed the club a little over sixteen years ago. Today the club has sixteen members and despite much adversity, they continue to care for and race their pigeons as often as possible.

When Mick was asked to explain the whole procedure involved in a typical pigeon race, he did so willingly in as logical a way as possible. When a pigeon is about a week old, he/she gets a ring with a unique number, which is then placed on the pigeon's leg. The number is registered with The Irish Homing Union, which is the governing body for racing pigeons in Ireland. About a day or two before a race, a special lorry will come and collect Mick's pigeons along with the pigeons of other breeders around the country. The truck will then travel by ferry to the race starting point usually about four hundred miles away, in Scotland. Before the pigeons are released at sunrise to commence the race, a removable rubber band is attached to one of their feet. Things going well, the pigeons should begin to arrive back in their lofts by sunset. As soon as physically possible, Mick takes the rubber band off the pigeon and places the band into a specially designed, tamper free clock, that recalls the exact time it took the pigeon to return to its destination. The clocks are then returned to the judges as soon as possible and a winner is announced shortly afterwards.

However, not all pigeons do make it home. The racing season begins in April and lasts until around the end of August. Mick reckons that each year he starts out with about sixty birds and if come the end of August he is left with fifteen birds, he would consider himself very lucky indeed. The birds he is left with are then used to commence the whole breeding process once again the following January.

Mick's first concern for the survival of his pigeons and the sport that he has endeared himself to, is that posed by the alarming increase of Falcons and Hawks. These birds prey on the pigeons which makes even training the birds a sometimes hazardous, dangerous and perilous escapade. Regarding, doing something to counter the threat posed by these predators, Mick says, its difficult to see any light at the end of the tunnel. The hawks and falcons are a protected species, so in essence, Mick's hands and the hands of pigeon enthusiasts throughtout the Isle are effectively tied. All they can do is be extra vigilant for the predators and take the necessary measures regarding having the right cages etc, to ensure that at least when the pigeons are not racing they are protected and feel safe and secure in their own loft.

Mick's second main concern is that posed by the massive upsurge in the last five years of mobile phone usage. Mick said before moblie phone usage became hugely popular, he would expect at least eighteen or nineteen out of twenty pigeons to return from a race. Today Mick considers himself lucky of twelve or more pigeons make it back. While no scientist or individual has ever really proven how pigeons find their way home, it's is far too much of a coincidence that since the dawn of the mobile phone era, the pigeons' navigational qualities have suffered quite severely.

I asked Mick was it difficult to get into keeping pigeons and to care for them. He told us pigeon keeping is not an expensive pastime, and all one requires is patience and a bit of time to ensure the birds are cared for and made feel as comfortable as possible. Indeed for such a busy man, Mick's lofts are a credit to him. The fact that he runs his own business M&K Fletcher Pine Furniture, Corville, Roscrea, and still makes time for the pigeons is absolutely incredible and a tribute to Mick's organisational capabilities. Feeding them is relatively cheap, and because pigeons have such a good immune system, the only medical expenses one would usually incur is that of dosing the pigeons at the beginning of each year. A pigeon that is treated properly can live for anything between twelve and fifteen years. Indeed one of the pigeons in Mick's loft at the moment is all of nine years old, showing no signs of old age and every bit as radiant and enthusiastic as she was in her first year's racing. I put it to Mick that because of the huge amounts of pigeons that don't make it back from the races, he must find, as a known pigeon keeper, he gets a lot of calls from worried people who have found pigeons that are tagged with a ring number but have no idea what to do with the pigeon.

Pictured Above Right: One of Mick's pigeons recognises a unique photographic opportunity!

For these people, Mick has some sound advice. Pigeons are usually very domesticated and therefore very approachable. If you find a racing or indeed a messenger pigeon, the chances are the pigeon is tired and hungry after travelling quite a long way. The best thing to do is offer the pigeon some food and water. A pigeon will usually eat any grain, birdseed or indeed some rice. After a day or so the chances are the pigeon will be refreshed and ready to begin his homeward journey. Out of curiosity, some breeders also attach their telephone number to the ring on the pigeon's leg, along with the pigeon's date of birth and registering number and organisation etc.

Regarding breeding pigeons, I was most interested in the finances surrounding racing pigeons, and if indeed a quick few euro could be made out of producing, how would we say, the 'Ferrari' of the pigeon family. Mick quickly quashed any ambitions I had of raising the ultimate racing pigeon or making it into the big time by winning lots of races. As Mick puts it himself, the majority of pigeon keepers are in the sport for the love of it, and nothing more. The average prize for winning a race can sometimes be around €700 and a nice piece of crystal, which is always a pleasant bonus. But that's all it is, a bonus and nothing can match the satisfaction of releasing a number of birds for a race and watching them all return to their lofts safely, no matter what the final result.

However, as in all sports, there is a certain element that takes breeding pigeons very seriously. Seven years ago, a pigeon keeper paid £70,000 in England for a young pigeon, which was to be used to produce a number of very fine, winning pigeons over the next few years. Mick tells me, with a mischievous grin, that he himself was guilty of a massive splurge a number of years ago, when, unknown to his wife, he purchased a pigeon for £700. However it was a 'one off', or at least so he tells us, in the interests of his own marriage, and today he is quite happy producing his own high calibre racing pigeon.

Indeed, he recalls fondly how last year, he won fifteen races. He also recalls how he lost the biggest race of the year because of one pigeon's stubbornness. The race was worth £2000 with a further £250 bonus offer from the club. Mick's pigeon was back in Roscrea in record time, but decided that instead of entering the loft, he would take a rest in a neighbouring tree overlooking the loft. Every trick in the book was embarked upon to try and coax the pigeon out of the tree, but to no avail. The pigeon eventually entered the loft a half an hour later, fed up of playing fun and games and depriving his master of international fame and a tidy cheque. Mick quickly retrieved the rubber band and put it into the clock. He was to learn shorly afterwards that he missed his moment of glory and perhaps a nice holiday in the sun by a matter of seconds. Once again it is a testament of the man's character that the notorious pigeon in question still lives happily today in Mick's loft, oblivious to his cheeky crime.

Mick has what he calls a nickname for each of his birds. I asked him has he a favourite, a pigeon that over the years drew more from his heart than any other. Indeed the answer was a definitive yes. The pigeon's name was The Little Hen and between her speed and nautical brilliance, combined with Mick's tender loving care and attention to detail, the pair went on to win a massive fifteen races together.

To end a fascinating afternoon, we concluded by how the pigeons have affected Mick's family, neighbours and friends over the years. Regarding the neighbours, he says he has never had a problem, even when he reared the birds in his home place of Kennedy Park, where he hadn't as much space as he does today to practice this fine art of rearing and flying quality pigeons. Mick quickly dispels any notions, that by keeping pigeons you invariably play a part in destroying your neighbour's roof. This, he says, is a myth. Only wild pigeons that one finds in the town are guilty of such offences. Just look at my roof says Mick, as good as it was the first day it was laid, sure enough the roof was in fine condition.

It is not surprising that a lot of the people he admires the most are his friends, and they too have been captivated by what was now beginning to seem like a very worthwhile and interesting pastime. He speaks very fondly of all the Roscrea Pigeon Club members, in particular, Perdy Loughnane and Ger Reardon, the Honorary President.

Mick's family all seem to be fully supportive of the great bird keeper, and admire him for all his achievements. Mick tells us that his wife Joan gets even more nervous than him on a race day, and will sit in the garden waiting for the first sight of the pigeons to return. Despite the fact that children have so many different interests fighting for their attention today, Mick is quite confident that his granddaughter, Jade, represents his best chances of making sure the family continues its long and illustrious past of pigeon keeping. Not yet two years of age, this plucky little character shows no fear around the pigeons and seems to embrace the birds as easily as they embrace her.

As a lifelong Chairman of the Roscrea Pigeon Club, Mick invites anyone who needs advice or who is interested in getting into pigeons to give him or any of the club members a shout. He says any one of them would be more than willing to help and play their part in rejuvenating this fine pastime.

Pictured Left: Mick and his beautiful granddaughter, Jade, holding one of his pigeons.

And so the curtain came down on a fine afternoon, we left Dungar, with a tremendous appreciation for the pigeon family, and for Mick Fletcher and his kind who, while there is still hope, will perservere against all adversity, to ensure the pastime they love so well survives. And who knows, with young enthusiasts like Jade coming on stream, there may yet be, plenty of more chapters in what hopefully will prove to be, in the fullness of time, a never-ending story of our legendary feathered friends.