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Cork SBS celebrates biggest event to date

Cork Show Bird Society, which runs what is arguably Ireland's largest bird show, has lived up to its reputation with its most successful event to date.

Show secretary Tom O'Regan said the 86th annual show on November 5-6 saw more than 1,500 birds benched and welcomed visitors from all corners of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Britain. He said: "It seems that most fanciers particularly want to win at the Cork SBS event, so they always bring out their best birds for our show.

"We did wonder whether we would get the numbers that we have had in recent years because of the recession, but the Society was really pleased with the quality and amount of birds exhibited."

An increase in the colour canary section saw 85 exhibits, compared to last year's 35 benched, which Mr O'Regan said was down to the hard work from one of the club's colour canary enthusiasts, Niall Meehan. He said: "Niall Meehan's extra promotion of this section and encouragement to get colour canary breeders to show all the new type colours meant that a lot of extra new colour canaries were benched."

Best bird in show was won by the partnership of Michael and Gerard Kinahan with a yellow Norwich cock, which was described as having "outstanding feather quality".

Thanks to the large crowds on the day, traders were keen to set up stalls outside as well as inside the main hall. Mr O'Regan confirmed: "With good weather, traders set up outside in the car parks. As a result, all the car parks were busy and had traders selling their wares, as well as exhibitors selling surplus stock."

He added: "It was a great weekend for all exhibitors."

● To learn more about the Cork SBS, contact Tom O'Regan (tel: 00353 214 504127) or visit: wwwcorkshowbirdsociety.webs.com/