Modomnoc Explained

Modomnóc of Ossory
Birth Date:500s
Death Date:c. 550
Feast Day:13 February
Attributes:bees

St. Modomnóc of Ossory (also Domnóc and Dominic) (died c. 550) was an Irish saint and missionary in Osraige who was a disciple of St. David of Wales and a member of the Uí Néill royal family.[1] His feast day is February 13.

Life

Modomnoc's name is likely to have been Dominic[2] or Donogh, as the words "my", ("mo") "little" and "dear" were added to Irish saint's names; hence Domnóc's name is often rendered mo Domnóc or Modomnóc. He left Ireland to practice priesthood and crossed the sea to Wales to study under St. David at Menevia.[3]

Beekeeper

One of the best known stories regarding Saint Modomnoc concerns his work as a beekeeper. Bees were kept both for their honey and the production of wax.[3] He was never stung. When the time came for him to return to Ireland, three times the bees followed in great swarm and settled on the mast.[4]

Modomnoc's talking to his bees is in keeping with 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 offence and leave.[5] This same custom forms the basis of John Greenleaf Whittier's poem, "Telling the Bees".[6]

Upon returning home he continued his religious services at Tybroughney. He is said to have been honoured with the episcopal dignity, about the middle of the 6th century.[7] [8]

External links

Notes and References

  1. C. Plummer, Miscellanea Hagiographica Hibernensis, p. 217; B.T.A., i. 322
  2. Book: Colganum, Ioannem. John Colgan. https://books.google.com/books?id=jarTiRlbr0IC&pg=PA831. Tomus Primus. Acta Sanctorum Hiberniae. Qui est Chronologicus. 1645. Everardum de Witte. 831. la. Leuven.
  3. http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ASaints/Modomnoc.html Haggerty, Bridget, "The Bees Who would not be Left Behind", Irish Culture and Customs
  4. Web site: Walsh, Jim, "Saint Molaga of Bremore", Balbriggan & District Historical Society . 2013-03-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120716005730/http://www.balbrigganhistory.net/historicalarticles-saint%20molaga.html . 2012-07-16 . dead .
  5. http://www.ucd.ie/pages/99/articles/chaomh.pdf Chaomhánach, Eimear, "The Bee, its Keeper and Produce, in Irish and other Folk Traditions", University College Dublin
  6. http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/telling-the-bees/ Whittier, John Greenleaf, "Telling the Bees"
  7. http://www.southwestcorkbees.com/2012/01/bees-in-medieval-ireland.html "Bees in Medieval Ireland', South West Cork Bee-Keepers' Association
  8. http://www.bartleby.com/210/2/136.html Butler, Alban. "St. Modomnoc, or Dominick, of Ossory, Bishop and Confessor", The Lives of the Saints, Volume II, 1866