I though this was a beautiful image for our beekeeping fraternity.  Harry Clarke was the most amazing artist that Ireland ever produced.

This design was executed in 1914.  Before Isle of Wight disease hit the country and before Buckfast bees arrived.  If you zoom in on the image you may be surprised by the colour of the bees he rendered into the design...... must be artistic license..right??
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Fellow Beekeepers,
Jacqui, a Buckfast beekeeper, and Colette, a keeper of Apis m. mellifera, Native Irish Honey Bees, started down a parallel path some months ago, seeking information, openness and transparency within the Irish beekeeping world on behalf of the members of our respective beekeeping associations. Our paths intersected at different points, and in spite of our support for very different bees, our aims and objectives were the same, A keen sense of justice and concern for the serious issues currently facing beekeepers, honeybees and pollinators spurned us on.
Several months on, we have become firm friends and we continue to work consistently in pursuit of the aims and objectives of IBA CLG, which is established as an open and transparent and equalitarian alternative organisation that will facilitate ALL beekeepers throughout the island of Ireland whilst addressing the very serious threats facing honey bees and pollinators.
The Irish Beekeepers’ Association, C.L.G. was formed with a committee of nine elected on the 21st October last. All elected have agreed with the aims and objectives as outlined, and in particular, we have committed to an organisation with mutual respect for ALL.
The IBA CLG, endorses The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, in support of honey bees and all pollinators. 
http://www.biodiversityireland.ie/projects/irish-pollinator-initiative/all-ireland-pollinator-plan/
As a new association in it’s infancy, we have a lot to do. We have an energetic committee of nine strong- minded directors working in unison as a team and we have achieved so much in such a short period of time it is breathtaking. (I am still catching my breath and the speed at which the committee is working, with each person continuing to play their part!) However, there remains a lot more for us to do to ensure the very best national beekeeping association for you and all beekeepers joining us. 
To ensure that we focus on the task ahead, I suggest our focus now be on moving forward, keeping to the front the needs and concerns we have in common, and not on our differences as individual beekeepers.
Together we can move mountains; look at what has been achieved since the 21st October! 
Onwards and forward we continue in unison.
Lean ar aghaidh leis an obair mhaith!to edit.

Ever wondered how humans first came in to contact with the marvels of honey. I'll stake a bet that these fantastic birds and their guiding songs were the first way humans interacted with beehives (interacted meaning stealing the honey. These traditions are still alive in East Africa at least! Here are the links with the hive bounty: 

www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/07/how-to-summon-the-bird-that-guides-you-to-honey/491924/

www.audubon.org/news/meet-greater-honeyguide-bird-understands-humans

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07z43f8

www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/07/21/486471339/how-wild-birds-team-up-with-humans-to-guide-them-to-honey

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There are many choices and modifications in beekeeping, which might remind one of the Irish proverb - Ní lia duine ná barúil (There are as many opinions as there are people). One of pertinent interest for the cold winter months (and an interesting one that might overheat in the summer) is the usage of polystyrene hives in contrast to the previous timber supremacy. I currently have both; but intend to use polystyrene for brood boxes. What are the pros and cons other people find - The polys obviously are more insulated, whereas the timber can 'breathe' and change with the seasons. I've found water collecting in the corners of the frame runners of the polys. Also does anyone assemble correx (old election posters) nuc boxes, which is my current winter project. I hope to use these for swarm catches next summer. Interestingly these could overheat in hot weather! I'm including some links to videos of these correx creations being assembled. Does anyone have the plans for the boxes shown in the videos? Let's start the debate! ​

The UK has changed its mind on the pesticides.   Will the Irish Minister follow this now since they were so willing to follow the UK in supporting the pesticides a couple of years ago?

You can look silly when your erstwhile "mentor" does a "volte face" and leaves your nether regions exposed to the climate.

​This might be of interest folks

Asian Hornet Special with Kevin Baughen from France
Wednesday 15 November at 8.00 pm UK time.

He will be talking about the current situation there and action plans for next year. Join through this link.

Have your bees gone into cluster or are they still flying?   

​AND

How could you tell the difference.

Michael Hughes

A chairde, 

I am myself a prospective customer/member of the Irish Beekeeping Association. I'm proposing here that I would volunteer to take genuine questions from other prospective members; edit and moderate the questions given, and pose them to board meetings in a time-limited slot. If this is a step too soon then let me know too!

​Le dea-mhéin,
Gearóid Ó Fathaigh

At a recent lecture on overwintering of bees a chart was presented that clearly pointed out that queen laying steadily declines from its high point up the beginning of DECEMBER????  Then it starts to recover again.
After that the boss starts laying again so that the hive is stronger in January and February and so on.  If this is correct, and I have no reason to disbelieve the lecturer, the best time to treat for Varroa would seem to be in 3/4 weeks time????

Thoughts anybody....   Michael Hughes

Out of interest does anyone use a fogger to treat for varroa?.

​Tom Carr

I am a member of NIBS, and I have black bees.  However, I am convinced that IBA clg, cannot hold views or agendas for Black or Buckfast bees.  I feel that the need to serve all beekeepers equally (egalitarianism), demands strict neutrality from the company on this subject.  Furthermore I believe that local Associations are masters of their own destinies, and that as long as there is freedom of movement for goods (queens and colonies) and services within the European Union there it is fruitless to attempt anything other than on a voluntary basis at local level.

​Michael Hughes