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Chairman's Address,
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Chairman's Address,
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THE WEATHER
As regards beekeeping and honey production 2003 could be described as a year of contrasts. We hear of excellent results in some parts of the country whereas there were many disappointments in other places. From reports of our members, one thing seems to have been universal, it was a year of excessive swarming.
BEE IMPROVEMENT
With regard to the main business of this group i.e. Bee Improvement, we are not as yet sufficiently informed as to how successful the season was. We still await reports from many members. Some members have submitted their colony appraisals, but unfortunately as usual they are in the minority. If this is an indication of the number of our members who regularly evaluate their bees and keep records of the behaviour and other characteristics of their colonies it does not harbour well for the progressive improvement of our bees. The very fact that less than 25% of members are submitting colony appraisals each year is an indication that the majority of our members are not making any effort to promote the aims and objects of GBBG. Since our establishment we have devised a system of evaluation and recording of bee behaviour and other characteristics. At our demonstrations over the years we have made every effort to educate our members in these techniques. The application of these principles is essential for the culling and selection process necessary for the progressive conservation and improvement of our native bees.
NON-SWARMING STRAINS
There is one thing definite about this past season. It should afford us a golden opportunity to select non-swarming strains of our native bee. Next to docility this must be the most important character that we should be breeding for. Marked queens from a previous year that are still present next spring are well worth propagating.
NUMBER THIRTEEN
This group is now facing into the 13th. year of its existence. During that period we have witnessed a number of new developments in Irish beekeeping. The discovery and spread of Varroa has overshadowed many other important aspects of management. The successful bid to host Apimondia in Ireland has sparked off a new interest in beekeeping and the resultant publicity and enthusiasm that will be generated around this event can only benefit the future of beekeeping in Ireland. It is imperative that all members of GBBG put their individual shoulders to the wheel and work with FIBKA, UBKA and other bodies who have committed themselves to ensuring the success of this the most important beekeeping event in the world.
FIRST FIVE YEARS
GBBG is about mid-way in the 3rd. five-year term of its existence. The first five-year term was a period of discovery and development of breeding techniques for bee improvement. We spent those years mainly on identification of pure strains of native bees and culling of non-native stock in the Galtee/Vee Valley where we had established Dun Aonghusa, our first mating apiary high on the slopes of the Galtees. The work fell on few shoulders as we had only four members to start with and by the end of five years we still only had six members. This period concluded with the first Irish convention of BIBBA at Kildalton in September 1996. The highlight of this event proved to be the visit of the BIBBA delegates to two apiaries in the Galtee/Vee Valley. The visitors were afforded the opportunity of witnessing at first hand the authenticity of our native Irish bees and they were highly impressed by their docility and productivity.
SECOND FIVE YEARS
The second five-year period saw the major expansion of our group membership. We made a successful bid for funding under the scheme for the Conservation of genetic Resources in Food and Agriculture. As a result of this funding we managed to purchase much needed equipment for the practical and scientific needs of our bee-breeding project. With the acquisition of the necessary facilities to augment our own private resources we re-established the Dun Aonghusa queen-rearing apiary on a more permanent site including a bee-garden that continues to be developed on an ongoing basis. Another major contribution towards the success of our project was the publication of our quarterly newsletter, "The Four Seasons". Full credit to the Editor, Claire and the many contributors who have sent her articles over the past twelve issues.
VARROA
During this period Varroa was found in the Sligo-Leitrim area. GBBG immediately became involved by holding the first Varroa Seminar in the Band Room. This proved so successful that the programme was adopted by FIBKA with subsequent seminars being held at a number of centres. For a number of years we have had an update and discussion on Varroa at our AGM. The appointment by FIBKA of our Secretary as its Varroa officer has further emphasised our involvement in the education of Irish beekeepers in the diagnosis and control of Varroa.
FOUL BROOD AND OTHER DISEASES
Without becoming in any way complacent about the danger of Varroa our group have become aware that this new disease should not overshadow the danger to Irish bees from the traditional diseases which have affected them from time immemorial. At last years AGM we discussed in detail our policy on AFB prior to submitting it to FIBKA for adoption. It is of the utmost importance that we identify and monitor those traditional diseases of our native bees and cull those that are susceptible while making every effort to select breeding stock from resistant strains only. This is an integral part of our bee improvement programme.
GBBG CONSTITUTION
As we review the twelve years of our existence perhaps it is an opportune time to concentrate on those aims and objects that formed the basis of our constitution that was drawn up at our inaugural meeting. At last year's AGM we reviewed and ratified these aims and objects together with the long-standing rules and guidelines that have served us well over the years. The constitution was designed to assist the individual members and the group as a whole in their endeavours. The time has come when we must make every effort to ensure that our aims, objects and rules are put into practice. The future improvement of our bees is dependent on their implementation by each of our members. Half measures avail us nothing.
THIRD FIVE YEARS
Only two years of this period have passed, yet quite a lot has been achieved. Each year we have organised an annual programme of activities of a wide and varied nature. These included work parties, workshops, both indoor and outdoor, garden walks, forest walks and hedgerow walks. An initiative that has proved to be a major success has been the establishment of a winter study group in the Band Room. During the next three years we hope to place much more emphasis on the conservation and improvement of our native Irish bees.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I wish to take this opportunity to acknowledge the work done by certain members of this group that has ensured the continued success of GBBG. These include:- Redmond Williams, Treasurer and founder member. From the very start Redmond has been of tremendous help in so many ways. We need only mention his outstanding contribution to the improvement of our local bees by inseminating hundreds of queens. Claire Chavasse; Editor of the "Four Seasons", Dennis Ryan, Secretary; Jacob Kahn who set up the website and continues to do very important work in morphometry as well as arranging the collection and dispatch of more than forty samples of bees to University of Copenhagen for DNA analysis; Ruary Rudd who has also assisted in the development of morphometric systems and workshops in microscopy and pollen analysis; all those volunteers who have taken part in work parties to establish the Dun Aonghusa breeding apiary and bee garden; those members who have organised garden walks, etc. or made their apiaries available for demonstrations; Dave Cushman who during the past year has taken over the management of the GBBG website; Tom Barrett for setting up the GBBG discussion list; and last but not least, James Power for his work in co-ordinating the results of members' colony appraisals.
CONGRATULATIONS
Heartiest congratulations to the following members:- Claire Chavasse on being awarded the Nat. Dip. Sc. (Apic.); Finola Walsh on attaining her Lecturer's Certificate; Bea Flavin-Dunphy on the Senior Beemasters Certificate; Jim Power on the Practical Beemasters Certificate; PJ. Curran on the Intermediate Certificate; Donal 0'Riordan on the Senior Scientific, Anne Horan on passing her Preliminary exam. Congratulations also to those exhibitors who were successful in the many honey shows at home and in London including Michael Gleeson, Claire Chavasse, Michael Woulfe, Dennis Ryan, P.J. Curran, Tony Murray, Georgie Penruddock, Sally Perceval-Maxwell, Bridie Power, John Summerville, Eoghan Mac Giolla Coda and above all Jim and James Power who brought the World Honey Cup to Ireland once more.
BEST WISHES
May peace and plenty reign supreme in our little breeding group for the year 2004 and may each and every member attain success especially in our ultimate aim of bee improvement. May I take this opportunity to welcome new members to the group and may their membership prove fruitful in the years to come with better bees and much more enjoyable beekeeping. Go mbeirimid beo ar an am seo aris. (May we all be alive this time next year).
Micheál Mac Giolla Coda. (Chairman)
Originated... 29 February 2004, Upgraded... 20 January 2005, Modified... 11 June 2005,
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