Patrick Mc Fadden
Crolly,Co Donegal
Summary
Accomplished Commercial Beekeeper with extensive experience at Crolly Honey, specializing in hive management and queen rearing. Successfully built a thriving business with forty hives, focusing on honey production and disease prevention. Adept at maintaining healthy colonies through meticulous record-keeping and inspections, demonstrating strong leadership and commitment to sustainable practices.
Overview
41
41
years of professional experience
Work History
Commercial Beekeeper
Crolly Honey
Crolly
03.1984 - 03.2025
- I have been working as a beekeeper since 1984 when I was awarded a scholarship to attend the Irish federation of beekeepers association summer course in Gormanston college in County Meath just outside Dublin.
- I completed the preliminary certificate in beekeeping studies both practical and written and the following year completed the intermediate course and passed the practical beekeeping proficiency course.
- I have built a small business of about forty hives to produce honey for sale in local stores and businesses and this has been very successful to date.
- My practice of queen rearing only from healthy good tempered colonies of our native black Irish bees for the genetics that they possess is very important for good beekeeping practice. I am also a member of the native black Irish bee society.
- I breed queens generally by using the nicot queen cup method along with incubation all of which are used for re queening colonies to maintain genetics and also help with swarm prevention. I also divide colonies with the aid of nucleus hives to advertise for the sale of colonies for other beekeepers.
- I have attended many courses through my membership with our county’s local beekeeping association on all aspects of Disease prevention and control and general apiary husbandry.
- Maintenance records for all colonies are kept and recorded with weekly inspections carried out.
Education
High School Diploma -
PCC Secondary School
Donegal 08-1986
Skills
- Hive management
- Queen rearing
- Honey production
- Disease prevention
Languages
English
Beginner
A1
Timeline
Commercial Beekeeper
Crolly Honey
03.1984 - 03.2025
High School Diploma -
PCC Secondary School