I am coming into my ninth year of beekeeping by default. My wife thought that it would be good to keep bees, I agreed and we decided to keep native bees with as little management as possible. The next day my wife decided that I would look after them as she was working full time and I was not.
After joining the South Tipp Beekeepers Association I went on their beginners’ course and became hooked. Following this I was on their committee for 3 years and after helping set up the 3 Counties Beekeepers Association I am now their assistant secretary and honey show secretary. I am also on the NIHBS committee, specifically in their conservation group, and have an interest in their scientific funding budget use.
During my early years as a beekeeper I was mentored by Micheál Mac Giolla Coda who helped me immensely through a couple of not so good years. I can safely say that I encountered most things that could go wrong with a hive in those early years and was steered thorough them by Micheál.
I am always keen to help our beginners and have mentored some of them in the same way as I was. This is the best way to for beginners to learn beekeeping and I am always keen to promote mentoring as a necessity for all new beekeepers.
It will be good to see IBA clg develop further in the way that we have started, being clear and open in what we do. I know that we can succeed well into the future by building on the blocks that have already been laid.
I would like to see us start a research fund for projects especially where the health benefits of honey and disease resistance of honey bees are concerned. I also wish to see IBAclg becoming involved with the GLAS scheme to develop better bee and pollinator friendly actions for the scheme, develop links with the Heritage Council and others regarding pollinator initiatives, while still maintaining our links with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan
After joining the South Tipp Beekeepers Association I went on their beginners’ course and became hooked. Following this I was on their committee for 3 years and after helping set up the 3 Counties Beekeepers Association I am now their assistant secretary and honey show secretary. I am also on the NIHBS committee, specifically in their conservation group, and have an interest in their scientific funding budget use.
During my early years as a beekeeper I was mentored by Micheál Mac Giolla Coda who helped me immensely through a couple of not so good years. I can safely say that I encountered most things that could go wrong with a hive in those early years and was steered thorough them by Micheál.
I am always keen to help our beginners and have mentored some of them in the same way as I was. This is the best way to for beginners to learn beekeeping and I am always keen to promote mentoring as a necessity for all new beekeepers.
It will be good to see IBA clg develop further in the way that we have started, being clear and open in what we do. I know that we can succeed well into the future by building on the blocks that have already been laid.
I would like to see us start a research fund for projects especially where the health benefits of honey and disease resistance of honey bees are concerned. I also wish to see IBAclg becoming involved with the GLAS scheme to develop better bee and pollinator friendly actions for the scheme, develop links with the Heritage Council and others regarding pollinator initiatives, while still maintaining our links with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan
