Telling the Bees

Up ahead along the verge are a set of beehives of St Mologo. He came back from Wales in the 6th century, cured the sick, built a church and taught the people around here about beekeeping. He was a Corkman, but we can forgive him for that, he did good deeds. There’s an Irish folklore custom of ‘Telling the Bees’, which ensures that the bees not feel any offence due to exclusion from family affairs, and so will remain with the hive. It was believed that if one didn’t tell the bees of a wedding, a birth, or a death, they would take umbrage and leave. So, when you’re passing these hives on the way up to the Gathering, tell them where you’re going. And on the way back tell them when you’re coming back.