“The sullen murmur of the bees shouldering their way through the long unmown grass, or circling with monotonous insistence round the dusty gilt horns of the straggling woodbine, seemed to make the stillness more oppressive.” 🐝 ― #OscarWilde who died #OTD in 1900 #bookchatweekly

In Irish lore, the tale of Aristotle & the bees has unique elements. Named Harry Stattle, he is outwitted by the bees as he tries to decipher how bees make honey. In anger, he kicks a glass box holding a swarm. The bees rise & sting Harry, leaving him blind. 🐝 #MythologyMonday

Bees in Irish Folklore, a fascinating and beautifully illustrated book by KeeperOfTheBees_IrishFolklore

Happy St Nicholas Day, today 6th Dec! From a gift-giver in folklore, to the character of Father Christmas and the magical entity that became Santa Claus - he really is the pinnacle of Christmas time for most! 🎅 #folklore #stnicholasday #otd #christmas

'They are the last romantics, these candles: Upside down hearts of light tipping wax fingers, And the fingers, taken in by their own haloes...' ✍️Candles by Sylvia Plath #BookwormSat #BookChatWeekly

Using a smoker to pacify the bees has ancient evolutionary origins. Bees associate smoke with their forest being on fire & it prompts them to huddle together, stay calm & weather the elements 🐝 #FolkloreSunday #WeatheringTheStorm

#StAmbrose was the patron saint of beekeepers, born in Germany, reared in Rome & known as St Ambrose of Milan. As a baby, St Ambrose was visited by a swarm of bees in his crib. They were said to endow a #gift of eloquence; making the child honey-tongued! #BookologyThursday

An absolute pleasure being interviewed by wildlife expert #ÉannaNíLamhna for Mooney Goes Wild's 'Mooney Goes Wild' last night. Listen back (45:30) for some bee folklore chat! 🐝 rte.ie/radio/radio1/m…… The O'Brien Press #TheKeeperOfTheBees #Bookchatweekly #FairytaleTuesday

Integrating candles into calendar customs is a beloved tradition in Irish folklore. Lighting a candle & leaving it on a windowsill on #ChristmasEve was said to illuminate the path for the holy family should they be looking for a night’s shelter. 🕯️ #LegendaryWednesday

It was Christmas Eve babe In the drunk tank An old man said to me, won't see another one And then he sang a song The Rare Old Mountain Dew I turned my face away And dreamed about you 🎶 A true legend: Shane MacGowan 🖤The Pogues 🖤 Fairytale of New York 🖤 #LegendaryWednesday

Need some inspiration for additional #gifts for under the tree this #Christmas?🎄 ‘The Keeper of the Bees’ by Eimear Chaomhánach, illustrated by Jane Carkill, and ‘A Place Called Home’ by Alice Taylor, are wonderful additions to any bookshelf! Available in all good bookshops.

There's been some fabulous books published in 2024! Here's just some of them in my collection!!! Do YOU have any favourites?! I'd love to see/hear about them! The O'Brien Press Gill Books Walker Books #IrishHistory #folklore #WritersLift 📚

'Flightless now and shivering, around their Queen they cling; every bee a gift of heat; she will not freeze within the winter cluster of the bees.' ✍️The Bee Carol by Carol Ann Duffy #BookwormSat #Poetry #QueenBee 👑🐝

I'm now over here: @beefolklore.bsky.social 🐝

Eimear Chaomhánach in signing her book The keeper of the Bees - which is also in our window at the moment! 🐝❤️🐝 This is gorgeous book - beautifully conceived & illustrated, full of the important stuff we are in danger of forgetting.

Hop into spring with “Spring on a Plate – with a Hint of Irish Honey” by Eimear Chaomhánach! Celebrate Easter with seasonal flavours & sweet Irish honey. Read & shop her books: goodfoodireland.ie/spring-on-a-pl… 🌸🍯🐣 #GoodFoodIreland #EasterRecipes #IrishFood

Eimear Chaomhánach, a beekeeper’s daughter and a student of folklore, will be in conversation with Anthony Freeman this Saturday, 26th July at LibertiesFestDublin, discussing her book ‘The Keeper of the Bees - Bees and Beekeeping in Irish Folklore.’ Tickets are now available!

Eimear Chaomhánach shares folktales about bees with memories of growing up in a beekeeping household, collecting swarms with her father and learning how to harvest honey. A fascinating look at the beliefs and traditions about bees and beekeeping.

Thanks for the mention Tom! Tom McCaughren: Bees live in a matriarchal society that puts up with no slacking from the males independent.ie/life/tom-mccau… The O'Brien Press #bees #beekeeping #aristotle #climatechange #books

There's no better place for #storytelling than JohnB's hometown✨ #Listowel International Storytelling Festival: 18-21 Sept💫 Delighted to be part of it🐝 🎟️kerrywritersmuseum.com/book-now/ #Festivals #Kerry #Ireland The O'Brien Press kerrywritersmuseum Kerry County Council - Comhairle Contae Chiarraí Fáilte Ireland