Gormanston Summer School

Study Group of GBBG

		During the Winter and Spring, on alternate Monday evenings the Band Room in Cahir buzzes with the sound of the Galtee Bee Breeding Group's study group. Beekeepers of all levels of qualification attend in order to add to their beekeeping knowledge and to make specific preparations for the following Summer's Gormanston Summer School, where the examinations take place.

The study group in session, photo... Jim Power

During the Winter and Spring, on alternate Monday evenings the Band Room in Cahir buzzes with the sound of the Galtee Bee Breeding Group's study group.

Beekeepers of all levels of qualification attend in order to add to their beekeeping knowledge and to make specific preparations for the following Summer's Gormanston Summer School, where the examinations take place.

The meetings are well attended with many travelling long distances in bad weather. It shows the level of interest and dedication, with members attending from South Tipperary, Waterford, Kilkenny, Cork, Kerry and even as far as Killarney.

Some members however, do live too far away to attend in person, but they keep in touch by correspondence and submit their 'homework' by mail.

The questions are taken from previous FIBKA examination papers in the scientific and practical disciplines, at both intermediate and senior levels.

Each individual's 'homework' consists of a question to be researched and presented to the group at the next meeting.

Expert guidance is always on hand and lively discussion takes place as the finer points of each answer are shared with the group.

Many individuals contribute much time and effort to run a technically superb and well presented tutorial system that is backed by photocopied model answers that are produced in booklet form and distributed to all members.

Because it convenes in times of cool weather and disbands during the Summer, this study group has been likened to a 'winter cluster'.

		Practical sessions The study is not limited to paperwork, the knowledge is broadened and re-enforced by practical sessions... Here at left a microscopy workshop is taking place using a teaching microscope. Some group members have considerable skill and experience in microscope technique and dissection of the honey bee. In the photograph below... Redmond Williams can be seen explaining one of the finer details of removing part of the carapace in order to show some of the internal 'working parts'.

Microscopy Workshop in the 'Band Room' Cahir, Erhard Betz left, Sally Percival Maxwell right, Claire Chavasse centre, Photo... Micheál Mac Giolla Coda

Practical sessions

The study is not limited to paperwork, the knowledge is broadened and re-enforced by practical sessions... Here at left a microscopy workshop is taking place using a teaching microscope.

Some group members have considerable skill and experience in microscope technique and dissection of the honey bee. In the photograph below... Redmond Williams can be seen explaining one of the finer details of removing part of the carapace in order to show some of the internal 'working parts'.

Dissection Workshop at the 'Band Room' Cahir

Redmond Williams
left

Dennis Ryan
right

P.J. Curran
centre

Photo...
Micheál Mac Giolla Coda

Some of this text was taken from a newsletter article by Bea Flavin-Dunphy.

Originated... 08 November 2003, Upgraded... 16 June 2005,