Click Here for more photos of our recipients
Back Row:
Robert Ditty accepting the 50+ year award on behalf of Leo McGuinness, Michael Young MBE, Simon Croson, Gail Orr, accepting the 50+ award on behalf of Joe Thompson,
Front Row:
Elmer Kennedy, Cecil McMullan, Deputy Mayor of Lisburn Councillor Margaret Tollerton, Tom Canning and Walter McNeill
At the Institute of Northern Ireland Beekeepers (INIB) AGM on Saturday February 9th, six INIB members were presented with certificates in recognition of their 50+ years of beekeeping each.
The INIB is affiliated to the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) and it was BBKA who asked for nominations from all of their affiliated associations late last year.
When a trawl of members was done, it was quickly realised that INIB had six beekeepers who met this criteria.
The five who have clocked up an amazing 50+ years each are:
Walter McNeill, from Antrim, Tom Canning from Dungannon, Elmer Kennedy from Cullybackey, Cecil McMullan from Hillsborough , Joe Thompson from Newcastle and Leo McGuinness from Greysteel.
All six are known by everyone involved in beekeeping in Northern Ireland
Joe, Walter, Tom and Cecil are all founding members of INIB
Walter, Tom, Leo and Cecil are long serving INIB committee members
Elmer, Cecil , Leo and Joe are all past winners of the INIB Beekeeper of the Year
Cecil and Tom are qualified Honey Judges and have judged at Honey Shows throughout Northern Ireland.
Not only have all six kept bees for a cumulative 300+ years, but they have been involved in all aspects of beekeeping, including prize winners at Honey Shows, teaching beginners and mentoring novice beekeepers for many, many years.
Over the years, Leo, Walter, Tom, Elmer, Cecil and Joe will have made most of their own equipment and between them there is not much about beekeeping in Northern Ireland they don't know!
Photos of our recipients
President of INIB, BBC personality Bill Turnbull, sent the following message, which was read out at the INIB AGM to the 50 + years recipients
To Cecil, Joe, Tom, Walter, Elmer, and Leo
Dear Semi-Centurions
Congratulations on reaching a remarkable milestone in your beekeeping careers. Between you, you have 300 years of experience, almost a third of a millennium. If you laid that time out in a line, it would date back to 1713 - stretching all the way back before the days of Lorenzo Langstroth, movable frames, the bee-space, and the WBC, back to the era of Rene Antoine de Reaumur and the first observation hive.
Which leads me to ask - what on earth have you guys been doing all that time?
But as a mere novice compared with your experience, it is an honour to celebrate your remarkable achievements. I wish you every success in your next 50 years of beekeeping.
With best wishes,
Your INIB President,
Bill Turnbull
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