Pigeon Heads

2006, 25 minutes, RTÉ

Every weekend from April through to September thousands of athletic pigeons are transported from all over Dublin to different corners of Ireland where they are ‘liberated’ and race through the Irish skyline heading back towards their home. Meanwhile in the city, hundreds of owners wait in agony for their feathered friends to return, hopefully in one piece and ahead of the rest.

We spend time with Anto O’Toole & his 11-year-old loft manager Shane Murray from St Teresa’s Gardens in the south inner city as they prepare for their first race of the season. We also meet with Henry Byrne from Ringsend whose two storey sophisticated loft dominates his backyard. We watch as he bathes and showers his pigeons and get a glimpse into his special feed. We also meet the charming husband and wife Patsy and Pat Fagan from Dalkey, both in their 60’s, their affection for these birds is wonderful to experience.

This is a revealing, affectionate and colourful look at people whose lives are dominated by Pigeons.

Credits

Camera – Ciaran Tanham

Editor – Stephen O’Connell

Researcher – Tony Brady

Executive Producer – Martha O’Neill

Producer / Director – Adrian McCarthy

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