Another approach to beekeeping! “Balanced Beekeeping” by Henry Horkan, at our monthly meeting May 1st 2018 @ 8.00pm
FIBKA Spring Lecture Tour 2018
We are delighted to welcome Dr Kirsten Traynor to deliver a lecture for our Spring Lecture Tour 2018.
Venues:- Friday March 23rd 8 p.m. The Dalton Inn, Claremorris, Co Mayo. F12 V582.
Topic:- Over the Atlantic: European Intensive Hive Management.
There is no charge for attending and Tea / Coffee will be provided.
Kirsten of Flickerwood Apiary, Maryland, USA received the prestigious German Chancellor Scholarship from the Humboldt Foundation in 2006-2007. She drove over 50,000 miles throughout Western Europe to study the differences between European and American beekeeping, reporting her findings through 50+ published articles in national and international magazines. At the same time she interviewed scientists and medical doctors, gathering information for her book: Two Million Blossoms: Discovering the Medicinal Benefits of Honey.
Please contact me to let me know if attending we can arrange car share!
Monica – 086-197-56-38. secretarywbka@gmail.com Club email – westportbeekeepers@gmail.com
Beekeeping meeting Tuesday night 6th March @ 8.00pm Teagasc Centre, Newport Road, Westport.
Keith Pierce will be the lecturer on the night. Keith, from Castleknock, Co Dublin, a master beekeeper and a member of County Dublin Beekeepers Association, he has over twenty hives, with 60,000 bees in each. Keith is an experienced beekeeper and has a vast knowledge about queen rearing.
Westport Beekeepers will hold a beekeeping beginners course in April this year.
Beginners Course 21st & 22nd April 2018, Teagasc Office, Newport Road, Westport, Co Mayo.
Course lecturers are:
Saturday 9.00 am: Registration in reception area Teagasc Centre.
Sunday 9.30 am – until to 4 pm with breaks at 11 am and lunch at 1 pm.
N.B. Teagasc centre will close at Dinner time and participants must arrange their own lunch.
All syllables of the course will be covered over the 2 days and course participants will be able to undertake the Preliminary Exam set out by F.I.B.K.A. if they wish to sit the exam on Saturday 26th May, cost is €20.
Course fee of €50 per person, and €70 membership to join the club (covering visiting and handling bees in the associations apiary, insurance and magazines etc), if you are not already a club member, if they wish to sit the exam on Saturday 26th May, cost is €20.
Please contact me to add your name to the list for the course.
Monica – 086-197-56-38. secretarywbka@gmail.com
We wish to thank Cormac Langan (Horticulture/Agriculture) for his informative talk at our January meeting, it was well received and alot learned, we hope to have him again in the future.
Membership now due. Download the Westport Beekeepers membership form here, complete your details and return with membership to the club treasurer Mary in order to maintain your insurance and continue receiving your “An Beachaire” magazine.
Plans for a Beginners Beekeeping course are in progress, if interested e-mail club at westportbeekeepers at gmail dot com, to have your name on list for places. or ring [086-4098121].
Happy New Year to all and productive beekeeping to all our members for 2018 whatever you try!
Our first meeting of the year, We will have Cormac Langan (Horticulture/Agriculture) to give a talk to the beekeepers group about some flowers and plants you can sow for the bees. Cormac lectures at the Westport College of Further Education in Westport. We look forward to a good night.
Our club’s A.G.M. was held on Tuesday 5th December 2017 , we had a good number of members in attendance. The chairman Tim Stevens gave an account of all the happenings of the club throughout the past year.
Beekeeper of the year was awarded to Monica Vognier who gave alot of her time to the club and helped with all the apiary management during the year, Thanks Monica.
Our monthly meeting for this month is arranged for Wednesday night 1st November 2017 @ 8.00 pm in the Teagasc Centre to accommodate our neighbours, Ger Coyne, and Davy Geoghan active members of the Connemara Beekeepers Association, to come along and give a talk to our members.
Westport Beekeepers Association have delivered the first part of the ‘Beginners Beekeeping Course’ (theory component). We plan to deliver the second part (practical component) of the course from Saturday 6th May and other dates to be confirmed.
Westport Beekeepers Association have organised a ‘Beginners Beekeeping Course’ on the 22nd & 23rd of April. If you are thinking of getting bees, interested in pursuing an outdoor hobby that is close to nature with the opportunity to get a crop of honey or just want to brush up on your skills this is an excellent way to start. The Beginners level is ideal for the novice who is interested in learning the craft of beekeeping. A person who undertakes the full beginner’s level will be well capable of managing his/her own hives following the course. Applicants who succeed will receive a ‘Beginner’s Certificate of Proficiency in Beekeeping’ from the Federation of Irish Beekeepers’ Associations.
Subscription
Membership subscription for the coming year is now overdue.
Please contact Ronan to make arrangements to pay at, zero, eight, seven, [9309495] or email [moylurghoney at gmail.com] It remains at €50 and you receive membership of the Association with access to Library, Presentations, Apiary experience, cuppa etc. You also receive 12 monthly editions of the ‘An Beachaire’ and third party Insurance should your bees seriously injure anyone.
Study Nights on Wednesday nights @ 8.00 pm for the Senior and Intermediate Study Group. 🙂
All library books returned and taken out before or after the meeting. ·
Click here for Schedule of Beekeeping Year ahead
Hope to see everybody back again!
The Westport Beginners class of 2015, who sat their Preliminary Exam today Saturday 6th of June 2015 at the Teagasc Centre on the Newport Rd Westport, and afterwards took their Apiary Practical in the clubs apiary. Well done to all who sat the exam and we will see ye back again at the apiary at a later date for more fun 😉
Bee Hive for Schools
The Westport Beekeepers Association in conjunction with fifteen local National schools in the Westport area have started a program to help raise awareness of the importance of the preservation of the Honey Bee for the pollination of fruits and crops which we depend on as part of our diet in our daily life.
We supplied all the schools with a complete hive which they decorated in unique shapes and colours of their own choice which are visible to the bees!
The pupils printed the name of their school and “Tree Council of Ireland” (who provided two trees for planting on the school grounds) on the hive and signed their names on the crown board.
The hives will be populated with bees from the club’s “over wintered nuc of bees” in the near future. These hives will be monitored by pupils from each school; they will follow the development of their hive and will report back to their class and school on the progress during the summer, by the autumn we hope the bees will have honey to reward them for their hard work.
Hoping for a good summer!
Beginners class; Saturday 30th May we will be in the Knappa apiary for practical beekeeping at the hives from 12 noon.
Ring Padraic 0876957154, William 0879271633 for details.
The Westport Beginners class of 2015, who attended a Beekeeping course delivered by FIBKA, CFL Lecturer Gerry Ryan, Tipperary, on Saturday and Sunday 11th & 12th April at the Teagasc Centre on the Newport Rd, Westport.
The next Beekeepers meeting is on Tuesday 2nd June.
Club Meeting. Ourselves. Problems at Hives.
#Tue May 5th Club Meeting. ‘My Management of the Hives in each Apiary’ and the use I make of Nucs in the Apiary for Honey Production, Record Keeping delivered by the well known lecturer Redmond Williams.
Looking forward to the occasion and a full house as usual! See you there 🙂
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Check out the local weather here: Co Mayo Weather, Ireland
February
Westport Beekeepers kicks off the new beekeeping year with one of the latest CFL’s who passed their exams at Gormanston 2014, Michael Maunsell who gave his lecture at Gormanston on the importance of the “Drone”! Michael obliged Westport Beekeepers and gave a very appropriate lecture for the time of year ‘Preparing for winter’ it was very informative and well received by all. Thanks Michael.
‘Féile na Tuaithe 2014’ National Museum of Country-life, Turlough, Castlebar.
We were there and had a very enjoyable weekend; Three Beekeepers Associations from the West of Ireland, Connemara, Ballyhaunis and The Westport Beekeepers Associations came together on 24th and 25th May 2014, at the National Museum of Ireland – Country Life, Turlough Park, Castlebar, Co. Mayo to put on another great show all about beekeeping. The theme of the display was
‘Honey from the bee to the table’
A novel idea for the promotion of Beekeeping in the West.
Saturday 24th May 9.30 a.m.
The Beginners Exam is on Saturday 24th starting at 9.30am, be in the Teagasc Centre seated by 9.15am.
Exam takes half hour. Bring a biro with you and don’t get stress out!
The practical part of the exam is on immediately afterwards in the Apiary.
There are three examiners and Henry will have some of the club’s suits and gloves.
Make sure you are fully suited with gloves on going up to examiner.
Good Luck.
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Feile na Tuaithe Saturday 24th and Sunday the 25th.
We are setting up in Castlebar at 2pm on Friday. Our tents are beside the glasshouse as you go from the first car park below the big house.
Saturday we have to be there at 9.30am and get the display ready by 11am, all vehicles have to be off site. We have to be ready to open by 11.30am. The gates are open to the public at 12 noon until 5pm.
Anyone who can help please contact me! Bring your suit with you as we will be wearing our suits.
Sunday we will be there by 10am just to put out the hives on the grass so again anyone helping out come along, doors open at 12 noon until 5pm. Afterwards we will be taking our equipment home Sunday evening.
Dermot.
Noel Power, CFL, travelled all the way from Cork up to Westport to round off another great year of lecturers invited to the Westport Beekeepers Associations meetings on the first Tuesday nights of each month in the Teagasc Centre, Westport.
Noel’s topic was on: ‘Controlling Bees and working for Honey’ also Swarm box for Queen Rearing: Noel Power, CFL, Cork.
If it was not for Dermot switching off the lights and setting the alarm we would be there yet with questions and answers!!
Pictured after attending a two day course on beekeeping given to beekeepers and intending beekeepers of the Westport Beekeepers Association in the Teagasc Centre, Westport who intend sitting their Preliminary Beekeeping Exam in May. Many thanks to our course lecturers who traveled from Drum, Co Tipperary for the weekend to deliver the ‘Beekeeping Course’: Mr Gerry Ryan, Certified Federation Lecturer with the “Federation of Irish Bee Keeper Associations” Mrs Mary Ryan, also a C.F.L. Lecturer With F.I.B.K.A. two of the Best Bee Keepers in Ireland.
Eoghan Mac Giolla Coda, Beemaster, Co Louth. One of Ireland’s best beekeepers with over 80 hives on the go, shared his wealth of knowledge on the usefulness of Nucs and the many uses that can can be made of them throughout the year! with the members of the Westport Beekeepers Association at the April meeting.
And we won a prize!!!Pictured with the plaque, Padraig Baynes & Henry Horkan on behalf of the Westport Beekeepers float which took part in the Castlebar St Patrick’s parade 2014, seems happy with their prize which was presented to them by the Castlebar Urban Council and parade organisers. William Robertson was quick to capture the moment!!
Westport Beekeepers participation in the St Patrick’s Day parade in Westport.
Swarm Control and “The Rose Hive” Its Pros and Cons.
Ger Coyne, and Davy Geoghan active members of the Connemara Beekeepers Association, once again easy to understand, demonstrated and explained to the beekeepers present how to make an artificial swarm (which is associated with swarm control during the Summer months) to help with the management of your hives and the added advantage of Simple Queen rearing.
Advantages and disadvantages of the ‘Rose Hive’ were explained and discussed with a good interest shown by a lot of the new members who have started with one or two national hives and could easily use the Rose Hive and its simple method of management to their advantage while full time employed.
The large crowd appreciated how the practical side to beekeeping was explained and how simple it was to understand, thanks again to the lads for their time and patience’s given to the questions asked!
Gerry Ryan gave a talk on “Spring management of the Bees” at the Teagasc Centre, Westport.
Bee Meeting tonight 4th Feb at 8pm sharp.
Gerry Ryan is talking on Spring management of the Bees
Don’t miss this lecture as it has everything you need to know! from the time the bees wake up to the swarming season.
Come along and take the notes.
Please bring along the membership of the club to this meeting as we have to send it away tomorrow.
Presentation of certificates – Beginners Course last year.
Would the following please attend to collect their Exam Certs from the Beginners Course. Lucia Killeen, Maitias Burke,Caroline Price, Willie Mc Donagh, Patrick Gaughan, James Walsh, Claire Robinson, Joseph Mc Hale, Iosaf Mc Hale, Alex Lavarde, James Kilroy, Fergal Guilfoyle, Conal Dixon, John Burke, Mary Corless, Michael Horan. Keep checking the hives during this stormy weather as the hives are being turned upside down in the storms. Put on fondant if you think the hives need the food! its better than the bees starving and looking for food ( it can always be taken off again) See you tonight Dermot.
The Beauty of Beeswax.
On Sunday 02/02/2014 Mary and Gerry Ryan, CFL from Tipperary came to Mayo to celebrate “Candlemas in Old Ireland” and gave a talk and presentation at the Museum of Country Life, Turlough Park, Castlebar about the uses and items that can be made from bee’s wax. It was surprising the large amount of interest in bee’s wax that was shown by the attendance on the day.
Beekeeping for January
Happy New Year and productive beekeeping to all our members for 2014 whatever you try!
Beekeeping meeting tonight Tuesday 8.00pm Teagasc Centre, Newport Road, Westport.
Presentation of certificates “Beginners course”, would the following please attend to collect their cert for the Beginners course: Lucia Killeen, Maitias Burke,Caroline Price, Willie Mc Donagh, Patrick Gaughan, James Walsh, Claire Robinson, Joseph Mc Hale, Iosaf Mc Hale, Alex Lavarde, James Kilroy, Fergal Guilfoyle, Conal Dixon, John Burke, Mary Corless, Michael Horan. Meeting will include questions and answers from local beekeepers whether you are new to beekeeping or not ask what you wish! Film will be shown on the night. Club Membership collected by Ronan at this meeting.
The last few jars of honey on sale, use “honesty box” if Ronan is not available. Thanks club committee.
Amongst heavy showers of rain, hailstones and strong gusts of wind we kept the lid on the stall and survived to fight another day! tomorrow not promised nice either https://www.met.ie/forecasts/regional.asp?Prov=Connacht
Westport Beekeeper of the year.
Overcome with excitement!! Hannah Schofield, Westport Beekeepers Association, can hardly believe she was voted the best Beekeeper of the year (for her enormous contributions to the club and their field days throughout the year) at the Westport Beekeepers Associations A.G.M. December 3rd, pictured here receiving the Beekeeper of the Year plaque from Gerry Ryan, FIBKA, CFL, Tipperary and Mary Ryan, FIBKA, CFL, also Tipperary who came to Westport to give a lecture to the Intermediate class held recently.
A.G.M. Westport Beekeepers Association – December 2013
Sean Carter President of Westport Beekeepers Association presents club members who passed their exams during the summer with their Preliminary Certificate of the FIBKA.
November 2013
Michael Maunsell, Birr, Offaly, took time out from his holiday break in Westport to give the local beekeepers a very detailed account about
“The Drone and his value to Beekeeping”
November 2013
“Simple Genetics for the Beekeeper”
Guest speaker is Mary Ryan CFL from Dundrum Tipperary
October 2013
Michael Maunsell, Birr, Offaly, gave a very detailed account to the large audience who gathered in the teagasc centre to hear his advice on “Feeding your Bees and Seasonal Management – Winter into Spring”
September 2013
A very large crowd gathered in the Teasasc Centre on the Newport Road, Westport, to hear our guest speaker the one and only Benny Myres from Dublin.
Benny is 80+ years and every year he produces section Honey in Dublin!
He was voted Beekeeper of the Year this year in the Federation and collected his trophy in Gormanston in July 2013.
The new President of the FIBKA Eamonn McGee
Chairman Henry Horkan welcomed the new President of the FIBKA Eamonn McGee to Westport, the third in as many years. The Westport Beekeepers Association wishes him all the best for the future in his role as president.
Check out the local weather here:Co Mayo Weather, Ireland
Free Nosema Workshop
Dear Beekeeper,
Advance Science, the producers of HiveAliveTM, in partnership with the National University of Ireland Galway, is organising an evening workshop entitled “Nosema Workshop: Identifying your bees for Nosema”. We are very fortunate to have Dr Grace McCormack hosting the evening on the NUI Galway campus. Dr McCormack is the Head of Zoology here in NUI Galway and we have worked extensively with her. The evening will include an introduction to Nosema and then beekeepers will be shown how to prepare a sample and check for spores using their own bees. There will be microscopes for up to 35 people. She will also be able to help show beekeepers how to perform spore counts for establishing the amount of Nosema present. The workshop will be on the 27th of June at 7.30 pm. This will be a free event. The venue will be the Marine Science Institute Annex, next to the Martin Ryan Institute, on the NUI Galway campus. When in Galway, drive from the Cathedral to the Hospital, go past the junction at Wards shop then take the next right. It is a 50 m walk across the green to the building. Parking is free after 5.30 pm. Remember to BYOB (Bring Your Own Bees!). This is a great opportunity for beekeepers who want to know more about their bees. People can email info@advancescience.com or call 091 394459 with their name and contact number and email address to book a place. Please feel free to pass this information on to anyone/groups who you think might find this of interest: Kind Regards Dara ADVANCE SCIENCE Inspired by Nature – Designed by Science Tel. + 353 (0) 91 394 459 dara@advancescience.com www.AdvanceScience.com Customer Support and R&D 107 Business Innovation Centre, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland Manufacturing, Distribution, R&D hub Inagh Valley R&D Facility, Recess, Connemara, Co. Galway, Ireland
USDA report on honey bee health PDF file posted on face book byBeekeepers of Ireland. :Click here
How to get to the Westport Beekeepers Training Centre, Teagasc Training Centre – Newport Rd Westport.
View Westport Beekeepers Training Centre, Mayo Teagasc Training Centre – Newport Rd Westport in a larger map
WBKA 2013 Intermediate Students
Students from the Westport Beekeepers Association who sat the 2013 Intermediate Practical written paper on Saturday 6th of April at the Westport Beekeepers Training Centre, Teagasc Training Centre – Newport Rd Westport
“Turning the Swarm Instinct from a problem to an Advantage!”
Last speaker of the year Eamon Magee current vice president of FIBKA and our next president!
Eamon gave a very important talk on “Turning the Swarm Instinct from a problem to an Advantage!”
“The Queen”
From incubator to the hive. Keith Pierce, from Castleknock, Co Dublin, a master beekeeper and a member of County Dublin Beekeepers Association, he has over twenty hives, with 60,000 bees in each. Keith is an experienced beekeeper and has a vast knowledge about queen rearing.
Beginners Course 23rd/24th March 2013, Teagasc Office, Newport Road, Westport, Co Mayo.
Course lecturers are:
Mr Gerry Ryan, Certified Federation Lecturer with the “Federation of Irish Bee Keeper Associations”
Mrs Mary Ryan, also a C.F.L. Lecturer With F.I.B.K.A.
Mr Jim Ryan, also a C.F.L Lecturer with F.I.B.K.A.
3 of the Best Bee Keepers in Ireland.
Gerry and Jim currently sit on the Executive of the National Body of F.I.B.K.A. and Mary sits on the Education Committee of the Federation.
Saturday 9.00am: Registration in reception area Teagasc Centre, Newport Road, Westport.
Saturday 9.30am: – Course start – until 5.30pm, with breaks at 11am and lunch at 1pm.
Sunday 9.30am: – Course starts – until 3.30pm to 4pm with breaks at 11am and lunch at 1pm.
N.B. Teagasc centre will close at Dinner time and participants must arrange their own lunch.
All syllables of the course will be covered over the 2 days and course participants will be able to undertake the Preliminary Exam with F.I.B.K.A. if they wish in May Exam is 20 euro.
Last year we had 43 take the course, 37 went on to take and pass the preliminary exam.
Please have course fee of 50 euro per person, and 50 euro to join the club if you are not already a member in an envelope on Saturday morning at registration with your name and address on front.
Please contact me if you have any Queries?
Secretary: Dermot O Flaherty 087 2464045 098 26585
Westport Beekeepers
“St Patricks Day in Westport” yes we were there & enjoyed the “BUZZ”!!!
The theme of this years parade was:
Westport – The Best Place to Gather.
Beekeepers: ( L to R) John Cambell and Henry Horkan carries the Westport Beekeepers banner ahead of the float, hidden is Hanna Schofield, who also walked on the parade.
“St Patricks Day in Westport”
J
St Patricks Day Parade in Westport starts on Sunday at 1.30pm, We have a float in the parade.
Hope we will see you there!
Celia F Davis BSc., NDB, in Oriel House Hotel, Ballincollig, Co Cork.
Celia F Davis BSc., NDB, gave four lectures over two days to a large audience on “Challenges of Beekeeping” in Oriel House Hotel, Ballincollig, Co Cork.
Co. Cork Beekeepers Association arranged one of Europe’s most sought after beekeeping lecturers and authors Celia Davis BSc., NDB & Warwickshire Beekeepers’ Association to present a number of lectures over two days in Oriel House Hotel, Ballincollig, Co Cork, on 8th & 9th of March 2013.
Some members from the Westport Beekeepers Association travelled to Cork on Friday and sat in on the lecture at 7.30pm and listened to Celia talk about “Challenges of Beekeeping “before retiring to a very comfortable and affordable B&B next door to the hotel.
Next morning ‘bright as shillings’ refreshed fed and watered, gathered with an audience of beekeepers, in the region of a hundred people from around the country to listen to Celia continue from where she had ceased the night before!
On the agenda for the day she planned to talk about ‘Bees, plants and the environment’, ‘Communication and control in the swarming process’, and ‘The world of the Honey Bee Queen’ The day just flew, saturated with information, weary and tired the crew returned to Westport before midnight.
We would like to thank the Cork Association for their hospitality; an enjoyable time was had by all.
March Meeting
Ger Coyne and Davy Geoghegan from the Connemara Beekeepers Association gave a talk at the February meeting about the Artificial Swarm Control and demonstrate same to a large audience. Ger also explained how he is trying to continue rearing the native Irish black bee throughout Connemara. A struggle to do so with many elements fighting against him, weather and the varroa mite are amongst the greatest treats!
Davy talked about the ROSE HIVE which he fancies for its simplicity and has phased it into his apiaries over the last number of years, experiments carried out proved to him that they are more suited to his method of beekeeping; one size box suits all, the same with frames. He told us about its pros and cons and the suitability of this smaller hive for use in the West of Ireland!
February Meeting
The February meeting on the 5th had been arranged to have Padraic Horkan give a talk on plants, shrubs and flowers for the garden, Padraic unfortunately is unavailable, instead in his place on the night Gerry and Mary Ryan have agreed to come and give a talk on ‘Spring Management for your Hive and Hives’. They will also tell us what we need to do if we are thinking of bringing our hives to benefit from the Oilseed Rape!
We will be presenting the last of the beginner’s certificates to people who have not received them to date, come along if you have not got yours yet.
I am taking names of people that want to do, or re-do the Beginners course this year, taking place over the weekend of 23/24th March in Westport.
Membership: Last chance to pay your membership (€50 each and €20 for associate members) Please put in a sealed envelope with all your details with it, this will be the address that the “An Beachaire” will be posted to. This is the 4th meeting of the year and we still have a lot of members to collect money for membership from. Please bring it to this meeting. Every member from last year should be getting a copy of the magazine “An Beachaire” which has arrived already this month; you should have received last months as well. It was arranged by the FIBKA that the first two magazines would be sent out to all last year’s members to give a chance to the existing members pay their membership by February, if your membership is not paid your name will be deleted from the “An Beachaire” postal list.
If you cannot attend the meeting, please post a cheque made out to Westport Beekeepers as soon as possible!
For updating contact information: If there are any changes to your address, e-mail address or telephone numbers please give me the new details.
A large turnout is expected for this meeting so come early to get a seat!
We still have a few jars of club honey for sale if you want some ring Dermot before meeting.
Thanks.
Secretary:
Dermot Ó Flaherty.
0872464045
Frame Assembly as per Thorne Catalogue
Note: Membership is now overdue, it is important to remember that part of your membership covers your insurance and membership of FIBKA the book “An Beachaire” will be posted to you.
Happy Beekeeping!
Dermot O Flaherty
Mob No 087-2464045
William Robertson
Mob No 087-9271633
Henry Horkan
Mob No 087-9934806
Padraic Baynes
Mob No 087-6957154
Tim Stephens
Mob No 086-4098121