Lerwick once again The race point of Lerwick in the Shetland Isles is probably the most difficult of race points for our pigeons to negotiate, more so for the pigeons that fly into the London area at a distance of just under 600 miles. One fancier that clock s from this race point with much consistency is Pat O`Sullivan of Enfield. Pat has an incredibly record from this most difficult of race points going back over two decades. When Pat competes from Lerwick he sends his pigeons with the London North road combine in tandem with the North Road Championship club. Within these two clubs his achievements have been outstanding. In the N.R.C.C.he has secured 7 x 1 st sections,4 x 1sts, 3 x 2nds, 4 x 3rds, 3 x 4ths Lerwick at 588 miles, 2 x 1stsThurso at 498 miles plus 1 x 1st Fraserburgh at 423 miles. In the London N.R. Combine 4 x 1sts, 3 x 2nds, 4 x 3rds, 3 x 4ths plus many more top ten positions from. Lerwick and 1x 1 st Berwick at 294 miles Within the London federation the loft also excelled from the Lerwick race point having topped the federation no fewer than seven times, added to this Pat has secured the `Frank Blackmore` trophy for the best average in all old bird combine races in the federation a fantastic six times, no mean feat when you look at the calibre of the fanciers in the London area. This small back garden loft can also lay claim to winning the coveted `Tommy Long` trophy, for best average longest three combine races up to Thurso in the London N.R combine, plus being the winner of six R.P.R.A. awards With the distance and difficulty of the Lerwick races the pigeons that fly into London are usually second day pigeons and it s this type of racing that Pat s pigeons excel in. This was the case of this years Thurso race with his 2 y.o. pied cock ``Celtic Star``sent to this 498 mile race sitting 12 days. With 1,850 birds being liberated at 05-40 there were no birds into London on the day of liberation, with a flying time of 19 hours 38 minutes `Celtic Star was clocked at 08-38am to take 1 st. Section in the North Road championship club vel. 744 y.p.m. when only 5 pigeons were clocked in the section in race time. Prior to his Thurso section win `Celtic Star` was sent to 3 races on the south route with the B.I.C.C.the last of these three races being from Alencon around the 200 mile mark. The breeding of `Celtic Star`is full of long distance racers and he is a grandson of ``Irish Rose`` 2 nd. Open London North road combine Lerwick Because of a few family problems that included two bereavements in the space of eight weeks very little club racing was possible so Pat decided to concentrate on the N.R.C.C. programe.as the later longer races were to fit
in better with the time he had available. When it came to Lerwick a team of pigeons was sent with the first four pigeons clocked taking 10 th, 11 th, 14 th, 16 th section 7 in the.n.r.c.c.the second pigeon clocked from this race was Pat s good blue hen ``Celtic Pride``.Prior to Lerwick she was given three races, the third of these was from Perth 356 miles, after just over 10 hours on the wing she was clocked to win 4 th section 7.N.R.C.C. & 130 th. Open from 2,292 pigeons. From Lerwick `Celtic Pride``has excelled winning 3 rd, 9 th, 11 th, 14 th section 7, plus in the London N.R. Combine 4 th, 9 th, 11 th, 14 th open. As with all Pat s Lerwick pigeons the winning genes run through them from sire and dam down through many generations of Lerwick winning pigeons. ``Celtic Pride`` is the daughter of ``Limerick Lady``five times at Lerwick 588 miles with a very impressive record of 2 x 1sts,10 th & 14 th section N.R.C.C. plus 1 st, 2 nd, 5 th, 19 th open London N.R. Combine. On her one trip to Thurso 498 miles she was 2 nd club 79 th open London N.R combine, in preparation for her trips to Lerwick she was normally sent to Berwick as a livener and in doing so from this 294 mile race she has achieved a 1 st, 2 nd & 4 th club and to top it all she is an R.P.R.A. Award winner. ``Limerick Lady``herself is a grand-daughter of the sire of the loft ``Braveheart``four times at Lerwick and scoring 1 st, 9 th, 15 th, 24 th open London North road combine plus 1 st open L.N.R. Federation. While at stock ``Braveheart`` more than showed his worth and has left behind a loft full of of pigeons that have the capabilities and endurance to bring the loft to the fore from this very difficult race point, in fact three of Pat s Lerwick combine winners are all grand children of ``Braveheart`` From the Lerwick race of 2013 Pat s blue cock ``Celtic Warrior``was clocked on the day of liberation with a velocity of 1239 y.p.m. to secure 2 nd open London N.R. combine and 3 rd section 7 in the N.R.C.C. Once again a pigeon bred to do the job being a direct son of ``Braveheart`` when paired to a daughter of ``Limerick Lady``.Both winners of 1 st.open combine Lerwick. ``Braveheart`` died a few years ago, the last son that he bred was put into the stock loft and this cock is the sire of``celtic Spirit``who went on to win 1 st North London fed,1 st section N.R.C.C. 1 ST Open London N.R. combine,14 th open N.R.C.C.Lerwick 1,672 birds. By clocking in from Lerwick this year makes it an incredible twenty years of consistently clocking an arrival from this very difficult 588 mile race. Pat really enjoys the racing within the N.R.C.C. so when the club organised a centenary race from Saxa Vord in 2011 he sent a team of four pigeons to this 634 mile race and clocked three of them to take 2 nd, 3 rd & 4 th section 7. In 2010 one of Pat s entries for Lerwick was ``Celtic Spirit``, once again it was to be a second day pigeon into the London area. Pat clocked ``Spirit`` just after mid day to win 1 st open federation & `1 st open London North road combine, she was also 1 st section & 14 th open N.R.C.C. from 1,672 birds. ``Celtic Spirit`` is now in the stock loft producing some excellent off spring, this is exactly what you would expect from a 1 st combine winner bred from a 1`st combine winner with her dam being none other than ``Limerick Lady``say no more.
CELTIC PRIDE Lerwick 588 miles 3 rd, 9th, 11th, 14 th Section 7 N.R.C.C. 4 TH, 9TH, 11TH, 14TH, OPEN London North road combine Celtic Pride is a daughter of `Limerick Lady` CELTIC STAR 2014: Thurso 498 miles, 1 st. Section 7, N.R.C.C. only 5 birds timed in section and only 7 in race time, 1,850 Birds Grandson of ``Irish Rose``
CELTIC WARRIOR 2013:2 nd open London N.R. Combine Lerwick, on the day of liberation 3 rd Section 7 N.R.C.C. Son of Braveheart x daughter of Limerick Lady DREAM MAKER 1 ST North London fed, 1 st Open London N.R. Combine Lerwick 1 st. Section 7 N.R.C.C. Also 1 st club at 102 miles. Grand daughter of Braveheart
IRISH ROSE 2 ND North London fed, 2 nd Open London N.R. Combine Lerwick 2 ND Section N.R.C.C. Beaten by Dream Maker. LIMERICK LADY 1 ST,2 ND, 5 TH, 19 TH Open London N.R. Combine Lerwick 588 miles
CELTIC SPIRIT 1 ST Federation, 1 ST Open London N.R. Combine, 1 st Section 7, 14 th open N.R.C.C. Lerwick 1,672 birds Daughter of Limerick Lady