Buzzing with excitement for Beekeepers display

The Longford Library was a literal hive of activity on Thursday, July 24, as the County Longford Beekeepers Association paid a visit.

Starting at 11am, children were invited to the library to learn all about bees from those who know them best.

As part of the Library’s two-week “Going places with books” festival, which occurs during the Summer Reading Buzz, John Fitzpatrick and Deter Kaston from the Longford Beekeepers Association shared their vast knowledge about bees with all the children and parents gathered in the library. To aid their demonstration, John and Deter brought a number of pieces of equipment used in beekeeping, and a frame of bees, with the queen bee clearly marked, so that all in attendance could see how the bees work. Deter also gave a talk on the life cycle of the bee, which fascinated the audience. The audience were even treated to a sample of Irish honey at the end, with Deter bringing along two separate samples of honey, one from Meath and a local one from Gowna.

“They were very very interested” John says about their audience in the library. “Some of the parents were even more interested than the children!”

Fiona Cooney of Longford Library agreed that everyone really enjoyed the experience. “It was fantastic” she says, adding “the children were enthralled by it.” Fiona adds that the Beekeepers Association were asked to repeat the experience, and happily, John says that they would be delighted to do so.