Gormanston 2012

Detailed programme for Gormanston 2012 is available here

Guest Lecturer


A graphic of the guest lecturer Gormanston 2012

Jennifer Berry

Apicultural Research Coordinator and Lab Manager
University of Georgia Honey Bee Lab

Sunday 22nd July
to
Friday 27th July


News


Swarm Collection Service
Dublin and surrounding counties

This is the time of year when honeybees swarm. If you have a possible swarm and would like advice/assistance in having it removed please follow the link below

Information on honey bee swarm removal available here


An Beachaire - The Irish Beekeeper

The voice of Irish Beekeeping, 11 issues yearly posted to your home, Subscribe today, €25 per annum. The May issue will be on sale soon.

If you would like a sample copy contact the Manager Mr David Lee, Scart, Kildorrey, Co Cork, Tel No (022-25595) & (087 0904646). E-mail davidleej@eircom.net

The cover and table of contents of the May 2012 issue are available here


Beekeeping Tour to Scotland 2012

The details of a planned beekeeping trip to Scotland next September, which Mary & Gerry Ryan are organising, are now available.

For complete information please see attachment (Word document) here or contact:

Mary & Gerry Ryan,
Deerpark,
Dundrum,
Co Tipperary,
Tel No: 00353(0) 62 712274 or 00353(0) 87 1300751 or 00353(0) 87 9745115 or
Email: ryansfancy@gmail.com


COLOSS Questionnaire for 2012 is now available

Please read about this important survey here


FIBKA Examinations

Provincial Examinations 2012

The Provincial Preliminary Examination will be held on Saturday 19th of May 2012. The closing date for receipt of application forms is Friday 20th of April 2012. The minimum number of candidates for a centre is ten; neighbouring associations may combine in order to reach the minimum number of ten.

For those wishing to sit the Senior Apiary Practical Examination, the Intermediate Apiary Practical Examination, the Practical Beemaster Examination, the Microscopy Examination and the Lecturer Examination the closing date for receipt of application forms is Friday 4th of May 2012.

For those wishing to sit the Honey Judge's Examination the closing date for receipt of application forms is Friday 3rd of February 2012.

The Senior Apiary Practical Examination, the Intermediate Apiary Practical Examination and the Practical Beemaster Examination are held at the candidate's apiary, usually on a Saturday in June or by arrangement of a convenient date between the Examiners and the candidate, there will be two Examiners.

Gormanston

The Microscopy Examination, the Lecturer Examination and the Honey Judge's Examination will take during the 2012 Summer Course.

For those wishing to take the Intermediate and Senior paper during the 2012 Summer Course the closing date for receipt of application forms is Friday 4th of May 2012. Those wishing to take the Preliminary paper during the 2012 Summer Course may apply at the Summer Course.

Full details and guidance including all application forms are available on the website http://www.irishbeekeeping.ie All fees are listed on the application forms and can be downloaded from the website.

There can are be no exceptions from the deadlines as set out above. I would ask for the fullest cooperation from all concerned as in addition to taking on the responsibility of Examination Co-ordinator, I also have my elected role of FIBKA Secretary.

Michael G Gleeson, Ballinakill, Enfield, Co Meath, Tel No (M) 087-6879584, e-mail mgglee@eircom.net


Welcoming Honeybees back to the Botanic Gardens

Art Competition Results

Congratulations to all who took part in the Art Competition. We would like to thank all of you for your interest in the competition.

The standard of the entries was extremely high and looked at bees and beekeeping from a variety of different aspects.

The Art Competition results are available here


The Scottish Beekeepers' Association, Centenary Celebration Conference

Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th September 2012, at Stirling Management Centre, University of Stirling.

More information on the conference is available here


Federation Yearbook 2012

The FIBKA Handbook for the Guidance of Affiliated Association 2011-2012 is available here in pdf format

You may also access the Handbook by following the link to "The Federation" (above) and then the link to "Federation Handbook"


Api-Bioxal

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food have recently sanctioned the use of Api-Bioxal as a medicine for bees

More information is available here


Correction to "Bees, Hives and Honey"

It has been pointed out that some lines of text are missing from Chapter 10 of the FIBKA publication "Bees, Hives and Honey".

The missing text is available here in Word format or here in .pdf format.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused. Please let us know if you have any difficulties in retrieving the update.

Fáilte

Fáilte chuig idirlíon Chomhnascadh Cumann Beachairí na h-Éireann.

In san comhnascadh seo, tá 53 cumainn áitiúla. Clic ar an léarscáil chun eolas ar an gceann is giorra dhuit a aimsiú. Bíonn clár léachtaí dá chuid féin ar siúl ag gach aon cumann comh maith le teaspáintaisí praicticiúla in san bheachlainn i rith an t-samhraidh. Bíonn cuid de na h-imeachtaí seo socraithe le fada roimh ré agus cuid acu a thárlionn d'aon gnó. Bíonn gach eolas le fáil ón rúnaí áitiúl. Bíonn ranganna ar siúl i rith an gheimhridh ag furmhór de na cumainn i gcóir daoine atá ar intinn acu beachaireacht a fhoghlaim. Is oiriúnach an slí seo chun eolas a fháil ar an gcéird.

Bíonn cúrsa samhradh á reachtáil ag an comhnascadh gach bliain ar gach leibhéil eolais i gColáiste Baile Mhic Gormáin i gCo. na Mí. Mór-chruinniú í seo de bheachairí as gach áird den tír seo agus as tíortha thar lear comh maith. Clic anseo chun a thuile eolais a fháil ar an gcúrsa.

Tá gach cumann sa tír faoi chúram ball áirithe de Choiste Feidhmiúchán Náisiúnta an Chomhnascaidh. Seo leanas ainmneacha na mball agus na gcumann atá faoina gcúram.

In san lá atá inniú ann, tá gach rud ceart chun tosnú ar bheaca a choimeád. Níl an oiread sin nitreáid á scaoileadh amach ar an dtalamh ag na feirmeoirí. Tá níos mó síol-ráibe á chur faoi láthair i gcóir ábhar ola chun comhacht a gnothú. Níl an méid chéanna de na clathacha agus na torthaí á leagadh mar tá níos mó tuisceana ag daoine go bhfuil siad an úsáideach o thaobh fothana agus chun an fiadhúlra a chaomhnú.

Ón méid seo ar fad, moltar dúinn leanúint leis a gceird ársa seo ag a bfhuil an toradh íontach - fíor mhil na h-Éireann.

Bígí ag baint taithneamh as!

Welcome

Welcome to the web site of the Federation of Irish Beekeepers' Associations.

The Federation represents our 53 local member associations. Click on the map here to find details of your nearest Association. Each Association has its own programme of lectures and apiary demonstrations - some planned in advance and some on short notice. Your local Secretary can tell you what's on.

Many local Associations have beginners' courses over the winter and it's an excellent way to learn abut the craft. For all levels of experience, the Federation runs a one week summer course in Gormanston College. This draws beekeepers from all over the country and internationally not just to hear lectures. Read all about it here.

Each Association has an Executive Council member assigned as a link between the Association and the Federation. Here are the people involved in the Federation with details of Associations to which they are assigned.

It's a great time to keep bees. There's more clover with nitrates restricted, more oilseed rape grown for fuel, less destruction of hedgerows as people realise how much benefit they provide for shelter and wildlife. All this encourages us to continue with an ancient craft with such a wonderful product - pure Irish Honey. Enjoy it!