Mary O riordan
I started beekeeping in 1989, I used to read Michael Wolfe's article in the Cork Examiner as it was known then, and used to be facinated, especially when he wrote about finding the Queen, I think of his article's many times since when I am standing at a hive looking for the Queen. Then a swarm came into my Mother's house, into facia/soffit and it was then I really got serious about beekeeping.
I have been a member of County Cork Beekeepers Association since I started beekeeping, I was Secretary for ten years from 1994 to 2004. I hope everything I have worked on while I was there has been positive stuff, Like Acquiring a room for classe's etc, from Adult Education Department, Cork Institute of Technology, (Paul Mahony who was head of Adult Education at that time was so helpful), previous to their generosity we were in a prefab in a local primary school which was not suitable) worked for many years with others in the Association Apiary mentoring beginners. Acquired a shed through D.A.F.M grant to hold all the equipment in the Apiary, (Shane Lehane did an article about the shed in an Examiner suppliment and Beachaire). I cannot remember being appointed, but seemed to have fallen into the job of finding, inviting, looking after, and entertaining all our cross channel and international visiting speakers up to the last Spring 2017 seminar.
When I started beekeeping I had super mentors, three elderly men who used to work their bee's together, Paddy Ahern, now deceased, Paddy Herlihy, also deceased, and Eddie O'Sullivan who celebrated his 90th birthday this October. I had the pleasure of organising a birthday dinner for him, where many of his beekeeping friends attended. It was a lovely night, and Eddie thoroughly enjoyed it.
They had great patience with beginners, and I was introduced to every aspect of beekeeping by them. They were also very entertaining, I'm often sorry I did not record some of the conversions they had while driving along in the car going from apiary to apiary. I've inherited two of these apiaries, where the owners have made improvements, access, parking etc so much easier, (with a nudge of course) and some honey every year.
I usually give a hand to one or two beginners every year, I struck really lucky in '09 when the chap who asked if he could come to learn some more about beekeeping, has been working with me ever since, we share apiaries and the workload, which is great, as beekeeping can be very solitary, if you are doing it on your own, We work 80 ish hives between us.
Both Thomas who works with me and myself have acquired Department grants for equipment, updating our honey house's over the last few years. It is a pity more beekeepers do not avail of this.
I sell my honey to two local shops, also a local farm shop. I have obtained National and International awards for my honey, beeswax products, ie candles and cake of beeswax, mead, and honey cakes over the years.
I'm very much a practical beekeeper, and would never consider myself an expert, because when you are working with Nature there are no experts.
Mary O'Riordan
I have been a member of County Cork Beekeepers Association since I started beekeeping, I was Secretary for ten years from 1994 to 2004. I hope everything I have worked on while I was there has been positive stuff, Like Acquiring a room for classe's etc, from Adult Education Department, Cork Institute of Technology, (Paul Mahony who was head of Adult Education at that time was so helpful), previous to their generosity we were in a prefab in a local primary school which was not suitable) worked for many years with others in the Association Apiary mentoring beginners. Acquired a shed through D.A.F.M grant to hold all the equipment in the Apiary, (Shane Lehane did an article about the shed in an Examiner suppliment and Beachaire). I cannot remember being appointed, but seemed to have fallen into the job of finding, inviting, looking after, and entertaining all our cross channel and international visiting speakers up to the last Spring 2017 seminar.
When I started beekeeping I had super mentors, three elderly men who used to work their bee's together, Paddy Ahern, now deceased, Paddy Herlihy, also deceased, and Eddie O'Sullivan who celebrated his 90th birthday this October. I had the pleasure of organising a birthday dinner for him, where many of his beekeeping friends attended. It was a lovely night, and Eddie thoroughly enjoyed it.
They had great patience with beginners, and I was introduced to every aspect of beekeeping by them. They were also very entertaining, I'm often sorry I did not record some of the conversions they had while driving along in the car going from apiary to apiary. I've inherited two of these apiaries, where the owners have made improvements, access, parking etc so much easier, (with a nudge of course) and some honey every year.
I usually give a hand to one or two beginners every year, I struck really lucky in '09 when the chap who asked if he could come to learn some more about beekeeping, has been working with me ever since, we share apiaries and the workload, which is great, as beekeeping can be very solitary, if you are doing it on your own, We work 80 ish hives between us.
Both Thomas who works with me and myself have acquired Department grants for equipment, updating our honey house's over the last few years. It is a pity more beekeepers do not avail of this.
I sell my honey to two local shops, also a local farm shop. I have obtained National and International awards for my honey, beeswax products, ie candles and cake of beeswax, mead, and honey cakes over the years.
I'm very much a practical beekeeper, and would never consider myself an expert, because when you are working with Nature there are no experts.
Mary O'Riordan
