Welcome to the County Louth Beekeepers Association (LBKA) websiteOriginally founded in the summer of 1910, our association works on behalf of member beekeepers, providing opportunities to learn the craft and science of beekeeping. Equally important, we provide a social outlet for members to meet with fellow beekeepers - opportunities to share tips and tales. We are blessed to have many excellent beekeepers who are always willing to share their knowledge and experiences.
Our association is committed to supporting the native dark bee, Apis mellifera mellifera. We are affiliated to our national body, the Federation of Irish Beekeepers Associations (FIBKA). We provide our members with classes and support to attain FIBKA academic and practical certifications. The Kevin Griffin apiary is located near the M1 roundabout at Junction 16, where members can come and gain practical experience through the beekeeping year. We also hold regular lectures on all aspects of beekeeping. Members and interested non-members are always welcome to attend. Of course, at the moment these are all cancelled. However, there are numerous online lectures to help you improve your knowledge. COVID-19Beekeeping falls under the category of farming and food production so you may attend to your bees during the lockdown. However, please don't abuse this privilege - remember that this freedom to travel to your bees is at the discretion of the Gardaí.
All events, including apiary visits and even the FIBKA Summer School in Gormanston have been cancelled for the foreseeable future. ExamsFIBKA plans on holding its 2020 exams online.
Beginners CourseOur 2021 beginners' course is being held online, starting with an introductory lecture, followed by a lecture each Tuesday evening. It appears to be progressing well and we hope the new beekeepers are learning a lot, in preparation for getting their own bees.
Looking after your beesThis website is a work in progress, if members have interesting articles, stories, pictures, videos etc. that they'd like to submit for inclusion, please get in touch. We would be delighted to publish a blog post from anyone who has something to say. If you would like to share something but you're unsure about any aspect, we'll be delighted to help where we can. You can contact us at: lbkasec@gmail.com, or through the contact form.
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News and External EventsThe news section has information on:
Virtual LecturesIf you're missing the monthly lectures and want something to push you to learn new techniques and think about how you're looking after your bees, we have three possible solutions.
Membership FeesYou can now pay your 2021 membership - it's due on 1st January so you may as well pay it early and get a discount!
Remember that you get insurance, 12 copies of An Beachaire, online copies of BBKA News, access to the association apiary and the learning opportunities there, as well as the monthly lectures, so it's a real bargain. The fee for an adult is €80, although it's reduced to €70 until 1st January. There are a number of ways to pay:
Note: Please make sure the secretary has your address, including your Eircode! 
All lectures start at 8pm in Teagasc, Dundalk (see map). Beginners are welcome and admission is free. See the map below if you need help finding us.
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