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. Read more about us here. Our ApiariesWe have five apiaries: one is located outside Newry and our training, queen-rearing and mating apiaries are located near the M1 roundabout at Junction 16, where members can come and gain practical experience through the beekeeping year. We also have another smaller apiary, which is used for breeding bees.
We have completely renovated what was a semi-derelict building on the M1 apiary site, and cleared and levelled much of the surrounding ground. It was recently painted, and now has functioning ladies' & gents' toilets too, and has even had heating added in the form of a wood-burning stove. The roof has been repaired and it's a wonderful location for lectures (like the one above), although with the lack of electricity for lighting, that will probably be reserved for the summer.
Education - University of Galway DiplomaA few of our more experienced members have taken (or are currently studying) the University of Galway's Apiculture Diploma course. Some people have decided that it was just too expensive, but there's some good news. From September, new students can apply for a grant from National Organic Training Skillnet. While the details are not clear yet, it appears that applicants will indicate that NOTS will pay the fees, and they'll pay them for the fees, while you'll pay only 60% to NOTS.
Education - Bee Health MicrocredThe University of Galway also runs a Bee Health Microcred, i.e. a smaller course focused on a particular subject area. This is a part of the Apiculture Diploma mentioned above. Interestingly, Minister Harris has just announced the availability of 40% grant to support students of Microcreds. While tis is similar to the NOTS grant, it's from a different source. We have no details yet on how this will work, but we know that there are only 25 grants available, so apply today!
Upcoming Events
We have a number of events planned for the rest of this year - more details will be shared as we get closer to the date.
Meet the Beekeepers and Bees Saturday 31st August, 11:00 AM at the M1 Apiary This is to introduce prospective beginners to what it's like to be a beekeeper in Co, Louth. Preparing Honey for Show with Paul Boyle Thursday 12th September at 8:00 PM in Teagasc, Dundalk What to do to maximise your chances in a honey show (see below!) Wax Workshop & Candle Rolling Saturday 28th September, 11:00 AM at the M1 Apiary What to do with your wax, as well as an opportunity to roll your own candles Honey Show Sunday 13th October at 8:00 PM in Teagasc, Dundalk Show off your best hive products, get feedback, and maybe even win a prize AGM Thursday 7th November at 8:00 PM in Teagasc, Dundalk Apart from the usual business of an AGM, we hope to have something more interesting on the night. Christmas Party Wednesday 11th December in Scoraíocht Lann Léire at 7:00 PM Celebrate that there are no hives to inspect with food and craic. Gift CertificatesWe're offering gift certificates for sale in the shop for annual membership (individual & family), so if you know someone who might appreciate an unusual present, this might just be for them!
Bee HealthFor a change, here's some information on something that's FREE! The Department of Agriculture's Honey bee Health Surveillance Programme provides disease testing for bees for free. If you send samples of bees and/or comb, they can test for Foulbrood, Nosema and more, and all it'll cost you is the price of a stamp. A surprisingly small number of beekeepers avail of this service - the department would like far more samples since this also gives them an idea of what diseases are present in Ireland. The recommendation is to send in samples from all your hives twice a year, and especially whenever you suspect there may be something wrong.
Send your samples along with this form to the address on the form. |
Winning Honey
The honey from our Aughnagun Apiary was entered into the London Honey Show in October 2023 and it came first in its class. Winning anything in the show is a huge honour and reflects the quality of the bell heather honey collected from the apiary. Since we're interested in the bees rather than the honey, it will be sold by Newry & Mourne Council and the money will be put into the Lord Mayor's fund which is used for charities in the area.
Since this is the centenary year, this first prize also got a centenary coin. These medals were awarded to all the first prize winners this year. The design on the coin was decided at last year's show, and this particular motif was designed by none other than our chairman, Paul Boyle.
Membership FeesEven though it's really late, you can still pay your membership fees for 2024. Unfortunately, like everywhere else, FIBKA's costs have increased and they have put up their affiliation fee, so we are forced to pass that on. This means that our fees will be €90 for an individual and €135 for a family.
Remember that you get liability 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. All new members must complete the FIBKA membership form. Note: The service provider of our online shop charges €5 so the prices are slightly higher. However, the normal prices apply if paying by direct debit or personally. Note: Please make sure the secretary has your address, including your Eircode! PaymentsThere are a number of ways to pay:
Attendees at the NIHBS AGM
A number of our members attended the NIHBS AGM in Athlone, and three are pictured here - L-R: Paul Boyle, Frankie de Dobbelaere, Michael Palmer, Roger Patterson and Brendan Murray
Looking after your beesAbout this websiteThis 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: [email protected], or through the contact form.
About events
Events usually 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.
The contents of this website by Louth Beekeepers' Association is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 |
