Carlow District Pigeon Club takes flight into the digital age

THE sound of wings flapping and a whistle blowing in a Carlow backyard signals more than just morning routine – it’s the heartbeat of a long tradition that’s soaring into the digital age.

Rachel Kavanagh, secretary of Carlow District Pigeon Club (RPC), has become an unlikely champion for one of Ireland’s oldest sporting traditions. As the club’s only female member, she’s determined to change that through a combination of social media savvy and genuine passion for the ancient art of pigeon racing.

“I’m the only female member in our club,” Rachel explains. “We do need more female members. I set up a TikTok page recently just to get it out there to get more women involved.” 

The club, which Rachel believes is the longest-running of five pigeon clubs in the county, has been a cornerstone of the local community for over six decades. Veterans like Anthony Kavanagh and Willie Doyle have been fixtures at the club for years, representing a generation of pigeon racers whose knowledge spans decades.

“The oldest member is over 70,” Rachel notes, describing the club’s inter-generational appeal. “You’re going from the 70s right the way down. Children and grandchildren often come along. So, there’d just be great banter between the old and the young.” 

Rachel’s entry into pigeon racing came through family connections – she married Anthony Kavanagh’s son and her father-in-law became her mentor in the sport. What started as curiosity has blossomed into dedication that sees her up early, training birds and learning the intricate details of pigeon racing.

“It is hard work. It is dedication,” she admits. “We’re training them at the moment. We’re bringing them out every morning. We’re letting them out at different locations and you’re praying that they’ll all come back. Sometimes they don’t.” 

The emotional investment in the birds is real. Rachel has learned to identify each pigeon by sight – the blue checker, the dark checker – and admits to feeling genuine attachment to her feathered athletes.

“You start growing a bond with the birds, you start knowing them,” she explains. “I’ve lost a few. I felt like giving up. I was like, oh, I’m not doing this anymore. The stress of this, I can’t. I’m down four birds.” But her mentor’s wisdom keeps her going. “Anthony said: ‘Rachel, I’ve done it for 50 years. I’ve had pigeons not come back to me and you get on with it and you deal with it and you go again’.” 

The intelligence of racing pigeons has surprised Rachel, who grew up without exposure to the sport. “They’re such clever birds. They know your face as well. Even when I go out and blow the whistle, they come straight to me.” 

Rachel’s TikTok page ‘R and R Racing Rockets’, linked to the Carlow District Pigeon Club, represents her modern approach to promoting an ancient sport. She’s discovered that interest exists in all sorts of places – her neighbour recently approached her with “a hundred questions” about the loft and pigeons after observing the set-up. “She said: ‘I was always fascinated by it, but didn’t know where to go to learn about it’.” 

The club’s racing season runs from July through the autumn, with birds competing in races that can span hundreds of miles. The first race on 12 July will see young birds competing, with some races extending as far as Pillmore in Cork.

“We go down to the club on Friday evening and we’ll mark them. The lorry comes and collects them and goes to all different clubs,” Rachel explains. “The next morning, there’s an update on the site saying the weather is good and the liberation time is going to be eight o’clock. So everyone is waiting on the lofts at home in Carlow looking up at the sky.” 

The sport operates on a timing system measuring velocity, where victory margins can be measured in minutes or even seconds.

The club’s ambitions extend far beyond local competition. This September, about 20-30 members from Carlow will travel to Portugal for the annual million-dollar race, where thousands of pigeons from around the world compete.

“There are hundreds upon hundreds of people there. I think there’s over three or four thousand pigeons in this race,” Rachel says excitedly. “This year, we have pigeons in it. You’re racing against the best in the world.” 

Despite the sport’s rich heritage and international scope, Rachel notes a lack of funding for such traditional activities. “It’s terrible to see something like that go unfunded,” she reflects. “That’s why we did the competition sponsored by Carlow Kavanagh Masonry – to give something back.” 

The sponsorship and awareness campaign represent more than just fundraising; they’re about preserving a tradition that brings together multiple generations around a shared passion.

“It’s keeping a tradition alive,” Rachel explains, adding that her children are already interested in the sport.

For Rachel, it offers something increasingly rare in modern life – a connection to both tradition and nature that provides genuine satisfaction and community.

“I love the sound of the pigeons in the loft first thing in the morning,” she says. “I never grew up around pigeons, but I actually love that noise. There’s something comforting in it.”