The Keeper of the Bees: Bees and Beekeeping in Irish Folklore

Did you know that bees have been around for over 100 million years? Or that the Brehon Laws included judgments about the rightful ownership of swarms? And why Irish beekeepers plant bluebells around their hives?From the perfection of their hexagonal honeycombs to their ordered matriarchal society, bees have been revered for thousands of years.In this beautifully illustrated book, beekeeper’s daughter and student of folklore Eimear Chaomhánach weaves folktales about bees with memories of growing up in a beekeeping household, collecting swarms with her father and learning how to harvest honey.With legends about Aristotle and Irish saints and accounts of customs such as ‘telling the bees’, this is a fascinating look at the beliefs and traditions about bees and beekeeping.Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgements IntroductionChapter One: The Work of the Honeybee Chapter Two: The Arrival of the Honeybee into Ireland Chapter Three: The Divinity of the Honeybee Chapter Four: Saint Gobnait, Patroness of the Bees Chapter Five: A Homage to Honey Chapter Six: Beeswax and Honeycomb Chapter Seven: Aristotle and the BeesChapter Eight: Telling the Bees Chapter Nine: Ringing a Swarm Chapter Ten: Bees as Omens of Luck and Misfortune Epilogue Bibliography Read more