NORTHERN IRELAND ORNITHOLOGISTS' CLUB

Background to the Cups and Trophies
awarded to winning photographers
 

THE BROWN JUG

Presented for:  winning Image in Advanced Class
Presented by:  Robert J. “Robbie” Brown         

Background: this cup was the first ever award in Work of Northern Ireland Bird Photographers. It is, in fact, the second Brown Jug as the original, now showing signs of long and faithful service, was retired a few years back
and generously replaced by Robbie, doubtless at great expense, in 1996.

Robbie was a mainstay of the NIOC from its early days, serving as the Club’s Hon. Secretary and as a Committee Member in the 1960s and 1970s before moving, with his family, to Australia in 1980, where he still resides, in retirement, on Phillip Island near Melbourne. Over the years, Robbie has maintained his links with the Club and contributes occasional articles to the Club’s Newsletter, The Harrier.

THE ARTHUR HOBSON SALVER

Presented for:  winning portfolio in Advanced Class
Presented by: Arthur Hobson

Background: Arthur Hobson was a well known Belfast businessman who ran a very successful photo-retail enterprise in Belfast during the 1970s and 1980s. During that period the shop was a favoured venue for, what was at that time, the small number of bird photographers in the Belfast area. Although Arthur was not a bird photographer he was a much-valued supporter of the Club and he presented this salver in 1980.

THE C. DOUGLAS DEANE TANKARD

Presented for:  Winning image in Intermediate Class
Presented by:  C. Douglas “Jimmy” Deane

Background:   The late Jimmy Deane had a long and distinguished career in the Ulster Museum, becoming its first Deputy Director in the March, 1957. From the first, faltering footsteps of the NIOC in 1965 and throughout the rest of his life Jimmy gave generous and enthusiastic support to the Club. He became our President in the 1980s and continued to serve in that role until his death in June 1992.

For most of his life he was, amongst other things, a dedicated wildlife photographer and film maker and it was doubtless for this reason that he particularly enjoyed and wholeheartedly supported the annual showing of the Work of Northern Ireland Bird Photographers.

He was always keen to encourage other photographers and he presented the C. Douglas Deane Tankard in 1982 to recognize the efforts being made by those making their way in wildlife photography. It should be noted that Tom Ennis’s requests for Jimmy to fill the tankard with Black Bush met with no success!

 THE MARTIN McCURRY SALVER

Presented for:  winning portfolio in Intermediate Class
Presented by:  Martin T. “Jake” Mc Curry

Background:  Jake Mc Curry served in, and then ran, his family’s retail business in Belfast up until the early 1990s. He is a long-time Club member and has served on the Committee. He has always been a keen supporter of the Work of Northern Ireland Bird Photographers which he often entered and in 1982 he presented the Club with this salver.

THE SIMON McILREAVY SALVER

Presented for:  Winning Image in Beginners Class
Presented by:  Stanley & Kathleen Mc Ilreavy

Background:  Stanley had a long career in photographic retail and his Victoria Cameras Shop was a meeting place for many of the Club’s photographers in the 1990s and 2000s. It was there that many of us got to know Stanley’s and Kathleen’s kind natured and very good humoured younger son, Simon.

He was a great lover of the outdoors and a keen climber and it was with a sense of great shock and loss to those of us who had got to know him when we learned of his untimely death in a climbing accident. Stanley and Kathleen presented the Simon Mc Ilreavy Salver in 1992 to perpetuate Simon’s memory by encouraging beginners in a branch of photography which is so much in accord with his love of the Irish countryside.

THE TOM ENNIS CUP

Presented for:  Winning Portfolio in the Beginners Class
Presented by:  Tom Ennis

Background:   Tom has been a keen birdwatcher for most of his life and bought his first camera at the end of the 1960s, since when he has been a keen wildlife photographer.

He presented this cup in 1980 to encourage those making a start in bird photography. He was one of the founding members of the Club and is currently one of our Vice Presidents

THE JOHN GOULD CUP

Presented for:  winning image in the Digiscoping Class
Presented by:  Gavin Gould of Abbey Pharmacy, Bangor.

Background:  with the arrival of top-end digital, point-and-shoot cameras, many telescope users found that high quality bird photography was achievable without the expense and encumbrance of specialized photographic equipment.  Very soon excellent bird photographs, generated by this method, began to appear in the ornithological press and because of this the Club decided that a digiscoping category should be introduced in Work of Northern Ireland Bird Photographers #34.

The Club is greatly indebted to Gavin for presenting the John Gould Cup to mark achievement in this new class of bird photography.