Fingal North Dublin Beekeepers Association are committed to the ongoing education of our members and have a number of options available for those who might wish to study for the National Federation exams in beekeeping.
Fingal North Dublin Beekeepers Association organises a number of lectures, talks and demonstrations throughout the year. See this year's calendar of events here.
Our Beginners Course is specifically designed for those wanting to explore the world of beekeeping and understand what its all about. It covers the basics of beekeeping from setting up an apiary and acquiring bees to health & safety, hive management, swarm control, disease control and honey production. Completion of this course will provide all the knowledge required to take the FIBKA Preliminary exam in Beekeeping.
Further information can be found on the FIBKA website about the FIBKA exams including eligibility and syllabus for each of the exams.
Anytime is a great time to start planning to read all the great beekeeping books you keep promising yourself. The Association library has now got a large and varied selection of books to loan to members and will be available from our librarian at each monthly meeting. This is a fantastic facility and one members should make full use of particularly especially during the autumn / winter months to refresh their beekeeping knowledge.
The list of books available from the association can be viewed here.
If you would like to borrow a book please contact info@fingalbeekeepers.net to arrange collection.
For more information on native Irish honey bees. read this interesting report by Prof. Grace P McCormack, Zoology, School of Natural Sciences, University of Galway: 'Honey bees in Ireland - 'Think before you buy'
American Foul Brood (AFB) is an notifiable disease, and it is very important that beekeepers are family and understand the signs of foul brood and other brood disorders.
Inspect your colonies every spring and autumn specifically to check for brood disease. If in doubt seek expert advice, and for details on how to deal with an outbreak and reporting requirements see the Federation of Irish Beekeepers Association policy.
Asian hornets (Vespa velutina) are an invasive species confirmed in Ireland, posing a major threat to native pollinators, especially honeybees, with the first confirmed sighting in Cork in August 2025 leading to the removal of the first nest in September 2025. For more information on identification and reporting policy please see here.
