Chairman's Address 2004 AGM 2004 Report	Secretary's Report, to the Galtee Bee Breeding Group at 2004 AGM

2004 Secretary's Report

Total membership of the Group has now reached sixty two, with representation from all four provinces. Bee improvement continues to be our main objective. We progress as a bee improvement Group when each member draws up his/her "Colony Appraisals" from the colony examination records for the year. Selection for breeding and culling for the following season is based on those colony appraisals. All new members are encouraged to attend the Group outdoor demonstrations where this colony evaluation and recording is carried out and they are then well equipped do likewise in their own apiary.

The number of "Colony Appraisals" sent to James this year has increased. This is encouraging as is the high participation by members in the many Group activities organised throughout the year.

We are kept well informed by Claire who continues to do sterling work as editor of "The Four Seasons". The article by John Dews" Breeding For Resistance To Varroa" was very timely. We look forward to Norman's profile article as well as Sally's expert advice and encouragement provided in her regular contribution on gardening. Redmond in his article "A Review Of My Colony Records" clearly demonstrated the importance for every beekeeper to keep colony records in order to improve your bees temperament, increase your enjoyment of beekeeping and above all increase your honey return. A total of one hundred and thirty copies of "The Four Seasons" are now produced with each issue. We thank Claire for all her work and wish her continued success in the future. Claire was a most deserving recipient of "The Beekeeper Of The Year 2004" award. Congratulations Claire.

The number of members participating in the Cahir Study Group was twenty this year. The class was subdivided in two divisions - one prepared for the Preliminary and Practical Intermediate Exam while the other division covered the Scientific Intermediate and Senior Exams. Outdoor apiary demonstrations were also held to put what was learned in the classroom into practice during the summer months especially as regards bee improvement and colony manipulation. We congratulate the following on their success in examinations - Gay Noonan, Anne Horan, Mary Coffey, Tony Murray, Michael Maunsell, Tom Starr, Donal O'Riordan, John Corbett, Simon Rees, and Eamon Magee.

On Sunday 15th of February the volunteer workers did a good job at Dun Aonghusa mating apiary. More flower beds were prepared and planted up, pathways cleared and the grafting shed was tided up and got ready for the new season. Many more improvements remain to be carried out next Spring in preparation for the visits by delegates to Apimondia 2005 in August. Thanks to those who regularly turn out for those work days.

It was back to the Band Room in Cahir in Sunday 9th of May where a workshop was presented by Ruary on "Video Movies and Video Editing". The participants greatly appreciated Ruary's skill which he ably demonstrated earlier in the year when he made a video on pollen identification.

The Colony Evaluation and Garden Walk was held on Sunday May 9th at the apiary of Mrs. Wanda Ronan, Cuskinny House, Cobh and the Open Day at Dun Aonghusa apiary was on Sunday 20th of June. Both outdoor open hive demonstrations were well supported. Such demonstrations fulfill a vital role in standardising the methods of colony evaluation and recording for all members present.

June was also the month when Redmond spent a weekend on the Isle of Man inseminating queens and then later in the month he attended the NDB course in York with Ger. This course offers a wide range of topics to an excellent standard in a modern and well equipped facility. It is by attending such courses that Group members are informed and updated on modern developments.

In July the Group hosted two parties of beekeepers - one from Belgium and the other from The Kerry Beekeepers Association - at Dun Aonghusa mating apiary. Many aspects of bee breeding were demonstrated including colony assessment, queen rearing and the importance of the Apidea in increasing stocks.

As on previous occasions many Group members played prominent roles in various aspects of the Gormanston Summer Course in July. There was a large attendance at the BIBBA meeting on the Tuesday evening during the week of the course. Congratulations to all those who attended the course and helped out in so many ways, as well as entering the National Honey Show. Congratulations to those who passed their exams in Gormanston, especially to Bea on passing her lecturers exam.

In September five Group members travelled to the island of Laeso off the coast of Denmark to attend the sixth conference of SICAMM - the International Association for the Protection of the European Dark Bee. Three members - Jacob, Philip and Micheál each delivered a presentation at the conference. Later they were given a tour of the island where they saw the trough type hive with eighteen frames in the apiary of a local beekeeper.

This past year has witnessed once again another very swarmy season similar to last year. It was again an opportunity for those of us who keep records and who mark our queens to select for breeding those queens that have made no attempt to swarm.

The summer months also supplied ideal conditions to practise some method of queen rearing which we have learned or read about during the Winter. All members received their two Breeder Queens for 2004. Those queens from the Dun Aonghusa mating apiary can be used to replace the culled aggressive or unproductive queens as well as being used for future breeder material. It is by so doing that we help to maintain continuity of the bee improvement programme in our own apiary.

Overall it was a busy year and I think members were please with our varied programme of events. In conclusion I wish to thank everyone who gave me assistance during the year especially Jim our treasurer and Micheál our chairman who we congratulate on his election to the position of president of BIBBA this year.

Dennis Ryan (Sec.)

Transcribed... 16 February 2005, Upgraded... 16 June 2005,