Mr Malcolm Noonan TD, Minister for Heritage officially opened the Waterford Leader Partnership
supported new East Waterford Beekeepers’ Association Teaching Apiary in the Dunhill Ecopark on
Saturday 20 th August 2022. Mr Noonan gave a very passionate speech about the need for protection
of our Biodiversity and heritage.
Also in attendance were Cllr John O’Leary Mayor Waterford City and County Council, Grace
O’Sullivan MEP, members of the Federation of Irish Beekeepers’ Association Donal Lehane and Karen
Sterlie, members of the Irish Beekeepers’ Association P. J. Curran and Colette O’Connell, The Rev
Richard O’Halloran and Rev Christine O’Dowd, , supporters and members.
Committee members Donal Lehane, Anne Marie Fogarty, Willy O’Brien, John Cunningham, and Mary
Madigan thanked all our guests and sponsors for their contribution to this project. They also spoke
about the trees of benefit to our pollinators, the importance of maintaining our Native Irish Honey
Bee, the need to include Apiculture as a curriculum subject and the safeguarding of our hedgerows
The Apiary development has taken three years to come to fruition and this could not have happened
without Waterford Leader Partnership Funding through their C.E.O. Mr Jimmy Taaffe and Claire
Connors who gave endless support to us and our members who provided funding.
Waterford City and County Council continue to provide funding for teaching equipment which
enables the Association to be at the cutting edge with our education programmes to educate
beekeepers on the most modern and improved standards.
Other people who supported us were thanked namely Dunhill Ecopark, Suir Engineering, South
Tipperary Beekeepers’ Association for their ongoing support and advice, the Native Irish Honey Bee
Society who are mentoring our Native Irish Honey Bee Queen rearing programme and Dunhill
Ecopark through Dr Senan Cooke and Willy Moore who provide the Apiary site and helped develop it
with us, David Ennis from the Department of Agriculture, Waterford Humanist Society, Waterford
Lions Club and Orchardstown Garden Centre who donated and planted many pollinator friendly
trees.
The weather while very windy was affable and the opening was followed by a BBQ and great
conversation with all our members and distinguished guests.
