If you’d like to learn more about bees and beekeeping, then we’d recommend that a great place place to start would be with this video interview of own Stuart Hayes by Dublin’s City Channel producer / presenter Olive Geoghegan. It was originally broadcast by City Channel in October 2010.
You might also check out the Irish beekeepers’ federation site which has a good section on frequently asked questions and some interesting articles. If you’re not in Dublin, you will find the location of your local association there too. Another good way to learn about bees and be to come and chat with beekeepers at one of our public events.
Every Winter / Spring, the Co. Dublin Beekeepers’ Association holds a beginners’ course. A course like ours is the best way to begin beekeeping.
Who can join the course? Anyone can come along. Some students already have bees, most don’t.
Most years, our youngest students are schoolchildren, and our oldest are retired. The fee, including tea and biscuits every night, is just EUR 100.
The course is run on Tuesday evenings, starting on the first Tuesday in February, at Wesley House, Leeson Park, Ranelagh Dublin 6.
View Wesley House, Leeson Park in a larger map
The 2012 course will comprise six 2-hour classes where you will learn all about the bee, its habitat, how to acquire and look after your bees, and how to harvest your honey. After the classroom sessions you will be able to join (once suitably attired!) our outdoor demonstrations and the society’s apiary.
After completing the course, students are invited to sit the FIBKA Preliminary Beekeeping Certificate (it’s optional, there is a small fee, and most students pass!). For more details, see the Federation’s exam page here http://www.irishbeekeeping.ie/education/examinfo.html
The course fee is just EUR 100, and includes your first year’s membership of the Co. Dublin Beekeepers’ Association. To enquire, contact Ann via beginners@dublinbees.org , or at 01 288 8873 / 086 3798303. Our courses have become very popular in recent years, so your place will be reserved on payment of the course fee.
If an evening course in Dublin doesn’t suit you, then you might consider the excellent week-long beginners’ course at the beekeeping summer school in Gormanston, Co. Meath. Learn more by visiting www.irishbeekeeping.ie . There is a review of the summer school on the Gormanston page in our members’ area. As an alternative, some other beekeeping associations, including our neighbours the Fingal beekeepers, run their own beginners’ courses. You will find a list of local beekeeping associations here.