Page 130 - Guerin Media Ltd | Active Retirement Ireland Members Annual 2016
P. 130
BEE KEEPING SKILLS & HERITAGE
There’s a buzz in the air!
It’s never too late to learn a new skill and with it’s many benefits to both human and environment,
being a beekeeper couldn’t be sweeter. If you are a gardener, you might like to help our bees by
allowing those wildflowers to grow.The beekeepers association of Ireland are very active in promoting
the art of beekeeping across Ireland and hold an all ages beginner’s course every March as well as an
exciting honey shows around the country each year.
It is a little known fact that much of the honey in our Leader grant, Jerry was able to build a processing plant
stores comes from industrial hives where bees are fed to expand his business in 1993. Starting out with 50
with sugar. Keeping bees can ensure that our hives, there are now 300, scattered throughout the west
community has access to high quality natural honey Cork countryside. The bees are busy at work and there’s
which can have many health benefits as well as helping a buzz in the air.
the environment.
With a majority of honey on the Irish market coming
The tradition of Beekeeping has been in the area of from outside of Ireland all can benefit from an increase
West Cork for over a 1,000 years and dates back to when in local beekeeping. Having a local source of honey is a
St. Molaga set up a monastery in Timoleague (Tigh boon for those suffering from hay-fever. As the pollen
Molaga). St. Molaga is reputed in local folklore to have that causes irritation would be a constituent of local
brought Bees & Beekeeping to Ireland from St. David, honey, it has long been known that taking a daily spoon
a renowned Beekeeper in Wales. Having retired from of local honey can help to alleviate symptoms. Gerry
farming, Jerry Collins’ turned to beekeeping and Molaga also provides a local lady with bees wax which she uses
Honey was founded in 1993. Jerry’s story shows us that with other ingredients to make an ointment which he
it’s never too late to start something new, to start a says is very good for relieving pain in the joints. Apart
business or learn a new skill. from the benefits of honey and beeswax, pollen and
propolis; keeping bees has other benefits. Where would
Over four generations the beekeeping tradition has we get our blackberries if the Honeybees could not visit
continued in the Collin’s family. As a child, Jerry would the bramble flowers? For gardeners beekeeping ensures
have helped his grandmother who started beekeeping a plentiful supply of crops and prompt pollination!
on their family farm in 1865. With help from a
130 Active Retirement Ireland www.activeirl.ie
There’s a buzz in the air!
It’s never too late to learn a new skill and with it’s many benefits to both human and environment,
being a beekeeper couldn’t be sweeter. If you are a gardener, you might like to help our bees by
allowing those wildflowers to grow.The beekeepers association of Ireland are very active in promoting
the art of beekeeping across Ireland and hold an all ages beginner’s course every March as well as an
exciting honey shows around the country each year.
It is a little known fact that much of the honey in our Leader grant, Jerry was able to build a processing plant
stores comes from industrial hives where bees are fed to expand his business in 1993. Starting out with 50
with sugar. Keeping bees can ensure that our hives, there are now 300, scattered throughout the west
community has access to high quality natural honey Cork countryside. The bees are busy at work and there’s
which can have many health benefits as well as helping a buzz in the air.
the environment.
With a majority of honey on the Irish market coming
The tradition of Beekeeping has been in the area of from outside of Ireland all can benefit from an increase
West Cork for over a 1,000 years and dates back to when in local beekeeping. Having a local source of honey is a
St. Molaga set up a monastery in Timoleague (Tigh boon for those suffering from hay-fever. As the pollen
Molaga). St. Molaga is reputed in local folklore to have that causes irritation would be a constituent of local
brought Bees & Beekeeping to Ireland from St. David, honey, it has long been known that taking a daily spoon
a renowned Beekeeper in Wales. Having retired from of local honey can help to alleviate symptoms. Gerry
farming, Jerry Collins’ turned to beekeeping and Molaga also provides a local lady with bees wax which she uses
Honey was founded in 1993. Jerry’s story shows us that with other ingredients to make an ointment which he
it’s never too late to start something new, to start a says is very good for relieving pain in the joints. Apart
business or learn a new skill. from the benefits of honey and beeswax, pollen and
propolis; keeping bees has other benefits. Where would
Over four generations the beekeeping tradition has we get our blackberries if the Honeybees could not visit
continued in the Collin’s family. As a child, Jerry would the bramble flowers? For gardeners beekeeping ensures
have helped his grandmother who started beekeeping a plentiful supply of crops and prompt pollination!
on their family farm in 1865. With help from a
130 Active Retirement Ireland www.activeirl.ie
