About Us


Welcome to the Derry and District Beekeepers Association (DDBKA)!


We are a friendly and active community of beekeepers based in the heart of Derry. Our club apiary is located within the historic and picturesque grounds of Brooke Park, providing an ideal setting for learning, sharing and practising the art of beekeeping.

Whether you're an experienced beekeeper, just starting out, or simply curious about bees you're very welcome to join us - membership is open to everyone, with or without bees!


What we do


  • Monthly Meetings: From autumn through spring, we host monthly indoor meetings featuring guest speakers who cover a wide range of beekeeping topics - from hive health to honey harvesting and everything in between.
  • Hands-on learning: During the summer months, we hold practical sessions in the apiary offering members the chance to gain hands-on experience.
  • Introductory course: We also offer an Introduction to Beekeeping course in collaboration with North West Regional College (NWRC) and we hope to run it again soon.
  • Queen Rearing Group - Some of our members have formed a Queen Rearing Group aiming to produce strong healthy resilient Queens for our fellow beekeepers and also preserve the Native Irish Black Bee.


Join Us

If you're interested in bees or beekeeping, we'd love to hear from you! You can get in touch via email at info@derryanddistrictbeekeepers.com


Stay up to date with what we're up to via our What's on page and through our Facebook and Instagram pages.

Derry and District Beekeepers Committee members 2024/2025
  • Chairman - Mickie Harkin
  • Vice Chair - Barney O'Hagan
  • Adult Safeguarding Officer - Peter Melarkey
  • Treasurer - Peter Melarkey
  • Secretary - Grainne McClafferty
  • Funding Development Officer - Mickie Harkin
  • Education Officer - Barney O’Hagan
  • Apiary/grounds Manager - Peter Melarkey
  • Apiary Bees & Saturday Bee Club Co-ordinator - Thomas Morrison
  • Social Media & Web -Emma-Louise Chambers 
  • Sharon Durkan
  • Patrick Durkan
  • Glenn Mitchell
  • Tony Mullan
  • Dermot McGeady