Report by Heike O’Sullivan
Our Kingdom of Kerry, too, has an ancient tradition of beekeeping. The Kerry Beekeepers’ Association (KBKA) is the oldest of its kind in the Kingdom. There are other regional organisations including in Sneem and Beaufort, but the KBKA has members from Bonane to Ballyvourney, Lauragh to Waterville. Unfortunately, membership has dwindled over the years and the KBKA is currently actively inviting anyone with an interest in bees and beekeeping to get in touch and perhaps take up this interesting and environmentally valuable past-time.
In acknowledgment of people wanting to get a taster before committing to go full hog on a new hobby, KBKA has currently a very special offer for anyone who would like to learn more about beekeeping. Their 2018 membership fee of €70 includes participation in a series of four lectures to be held in Killarney, commencing on Thursday next, 22nd February. Each nightly lecture will run from 7.30-9pm and will focus on a different topic (see below). KBKA is proud to have secured excellent, FIBKA certified speakers and this will be a perfect opportunity for anyone wanting to learn some beekeeping theory.
So, what other benefits are there to paying a year’s membership of KBKA? New members will be able to meet up with existing beekeepers happy to pass on their knowledge. By watching them work in their own apiaries, valuable practical experience can be gained. This, again, presents a great opportunity to learn the ins and outs of beekeeping before deciding to establish one’s own setup. Members currently meet up every two months to socialise and exchange views. A yearly ‘Open Day at the Apiary’ demonstrates best work practices and is another social outlet. Importantly, the annual membership fee also provides public liability insurance for your beekeeping activities in case your bees go on the war path. Other benefits include a monthly beekeeping magazine, access to workshops and honey shows and much more.
Farming advisory body Teagasc has been promoting beekeeping not just for ecological reasons but also as a source of additional income for farmers and non-farmers alike. The Department of Agriculture also makes helpful information about beekeeping available on their website and provides grants to the Irish umbrella bodies for training courses, demonstrations etc. Back in the late 1990s, a group of ten Bonane beekeepers received LEADER grants for training, new equipment and bee stocks, and you may recall seeing their ‘Bonane Honey’ for sale in local shops such as The Pantry. Unfortunately the group’s numbers are way down now but the KBKA sees great potential for new members to found other local producer groups, particularly in light of an ever increasing awareness of the goodness of locally produced food and the willingness of consumers to support Buying Local and small artisan food producers.
For more information about the Kerry Beekeepers’ Association and the upcoming series of lectures, contact Hilde Rischbode, Bonane, 087 6646728; Ian Flude, Lauragh, 087 3486375; or Tim Regan, Killarney, 087 2314090.
Venue for lectures: Teagasc Offices, Cleeney, Tralee Road, Killarney. 7.30-9pm
