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Gormanston Summer School, the Mecca of Irish Beekeeping

The Galtee Bee Breeding Group, GBBG, is inextricably tied up with the Federation of Irish Beekeepers' Associations, FIBKA. The Summer school held in Gormanston each year is the pinnacle of FIBKA activities, many of the lecturers and workshop leaders are GBBG people and many GBBG members take the exams that are available at several levels as part of the Gormanston course.

Gormanston Aims Gormanston College Gormanston 2000 2001 event Again in 2002 2003 conference Another in 2004 Yet more in 2005 2006 Conference Brochure for 2007 Reservation Form Irish Beekeeping Discussion List FIBKA UBKA At right, Alan and Terry, relax in the sun. Below, Donal, David, Bridie and Micheál also avail themselves of the sun.		The list of links at left are all related to the Gormanston Conference or Summer school, both names being fully interchangeable, many of them are pages on the Dave Cushman website, I hope they convey the enthusiasm that I have for the Summer course. The pages from 2003 onwards contain many photographs of the activities and people at Gormanston and I include a few on this page that are perhaps more strongly GBBG oriented. There is a seat on either side of the main front entrance to Gormanston college and these seats are well used as they are in a pleasant sun trap.

The list of links at left are all related to the Gormanston Conference or Summer school, both names being fully interchangeable, many of them are pages on the Dave Cushman website, I hope they convey the enthusiasm that I have for the Summer course.

The pages from 2003 onwards contain many photographs of the activities and people at Gormanston and I include a few on this page that are perhaps more strongly GBBG oriented. There is a seat on either side of the main front entrance to Gormanston college and these seats are well used as they are in a pleasant sun trap.

Alan and Terry, Photo... Dave Cushman 2004

During the Gormanston week, the Galtee members demonstrate colony evaluation, in order that records that are kept can be analysed for breeding and selection of future queens. By using a standard method the records of individuals in remote places can produce data that can be compared, which widens the choice of breeding material and shows up strains that are promising.

		The whiteboard (above right) is used to make records of what is found when the colony in the photo at left, is evaluated. The things noted are called out to the person using the whiteboard and are recorded are the same way as described in the page Recording System, for Bee Behaviour Parameters.

Evaluation of colony at Gormanston, Photo... Micheál Mac Giolla Coda

The whiteboard (above right) is used to make records of what is found when the colony in the photo at left, is evaluated.

The things noted are called out to the person using the whiteboard and are recorded are the same way as described in the page Recording System, for Bee Behaviour Parameters.

This crew are known as the 'Dublin study group' and consist of Eamon Magee, Joe Kelly, Liam McGarry and Simon Rees, their tutor Denis Horgan is also in this group, pictured in 2004. Denis also does some lecturing at the Gormanston course. The GBBG study group itself meets regularly in the band room at Cahir during the winter, it is well attended with many students travelling considerable distances in order to attend.

This crew are known as the 'Dublin study group' and consist of Eamon Magee, Joe Kelly, Liam McGarry and Simon Rees, their tutor Denis Horgan is also in this group, pictured in 2004.

Denis also does some lecturing at the Gormanston course.

The GBBG study group itself meets regularly in the band room at Cahir during the winter, it is well attended with many students travelling considerable distances in order to attend.

Dublin study group, Gormanston 2004, Photo... Simon Rees

The cafeteria type meals at Gormanston are wholesome and provide a couple of opportunities for what most beekeepers do very well... Talk! The first of these is the queue that forms in the corridor outside of the dining hall and the second is the layout of the dining hall itself, which has rows of long trestle like tables. This allows you to seek out any person that you wish to converse with and navigate to their vicinity. The atmosphere is very pleasant indeed, the picture at right shows Chris Slade and myself in conversation with someone that is out of shot.

The cafeteria type meals at Gormanston are wholesome and provide a couple of opportunities for what most beekeepers do very well... Talk!

The first of these is the queue that forms in the corridor outside of the dining hall and the second is the layout of the dining hall itself, which has rows of long trestle like tables. This allows you to seek out any person that you wish to converse with and navigate to their vicinity. The atmosphere is very pleasant indeed, the picture at right shows Chris Slade and myself in conversation with someone that is out of shot.

Chris Slade and myself in conversation with others at the dining hall table, Photo... Micheál Mac Giolla Coda

		The course manager at Gormanston is the stalwart Eddie O'Sullivan, who is depicted at left on a walk in Glengarra wood organised by GBBG in 2003. The course convener is Michael Woulfe, who can be seen at right at the closing ceremony of the Gormanston course in July 2004. Both gentlemen are members of the Galtee Bee Breeding Group and pillars of the FIBKA. If you wish to visit the Gormanston Summer School you should contact one or other of these two gentlemen.

Eddie with video camera in Glengarra wood 2003, Photo... Jim Power

The course manager at Gormanston is the stalwart Eddie O'Sullivan, who is depicted at left on a walk in Glengarra wood organised by GBBG in 2003.

The course convener is Michael Woulfe, who can be seen at right at the closing ceremony of the Gormanston course in July 2004.

Both gentlemen are members of the Galtee Bee Breeding Group and pillars of the FIBKA. If you wish to visit the Gormanston Summer School you should contact one or other of these two gentlemen.

Another prominent GBBG member who deals with microscopy, video archiving of lectures and events, is a noted honey judge as well as being highly proficient at instrumental insemination (and anything else that he turns his hand to) is Redmond Williams... Most of the photos that he occurs in, show him with both eyes firmly glued to a microscope of one sort or another, but I have located one that shows him in Glengarra wood on the same occasion as the picture of Eddie above. Again he has his eye to a lens, but this time it is a video camera viewfinder.

Another prominent GBBG member who deals with microscopy, video archiving of lectures and events, is a noted honey judge as well as being highly proficient at instrumental insemination (and anything else that he turns his hand to) is Redmond Williams...

Most of the photos that he occurs in, show him with both eyes firmly glued to a microscope of one sort or another, but I have located one that shows him in Glengarra wood on the same occasion as the picture of Eddie above. Again he has his eye to a lens, but this time it is a video camera viewfinder.

Redmond at the microscope, Photo... Micheál Mac Giolla Coda

Redmond in Glengarra wood, 2003, Photo... Jim Power

The array of prizes and the Irish beekeepers that won them... For honey and other bee products, many of the prize winners are GBBG members.

The prizes include 'Beekeeper of the Year' which in 2004 was awarded to Claire Chavasse and to Dennis Ryan in 2006.

Beekeeper of the year 2006, Dennis Ryan, Photo... Jim Ryan

Claire Chavasse, Beekeeper of the year, Gormanston 2004, Photo... Jon Cox

There are many members of GBBG, which is an ever growing group, many of which attend Gormanston. There are many dedicated members that have not been mentioned here, but there are also many pictures spread throughout this website that you may catch glimpses of them, in the majority of cases they have their own specialities which are dealt with on the various other pages, in the detail that their subjects deserve.

Dave Cushman, GBBG website editor (2005)

Originated... 27 June 2005, Modified... 30 June 2005, Revised... 03 July 2005, Addition... 07 April 2006, Addition... 03 October 2006, Addition... 24 October 2006,