St. Modomnóc of Ossory (also ''Domnóc'' and ''Dominic'') (died c. 550) was an
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
saint and
missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Mi ...
in
Osraige
Osraige (Old Irish) or Osraighe (Classical Irish), Osraí (Modern Irish), anglicized as Ossory, was a medieval Irish kingdom comprising what is now County Kilkenny and western County Laois, corresponding to the Diocese of Ossory. The home o ...
who was a disciple of
St. David of Wales and a member of the
O'Neill royal family. His feast day is February 13.
Life
Modomnoc's name is likely to have been Dominic 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.
[Haggerty, Bridget, "The Bees Who would not be Left Behind", Irish Culture and Customs]
/ref>
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 mead.[ 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.
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.][Chaomhánach, Eimear, "The Bee, its Keeper and Produce, in Irish and other Folk Traditions", University College Dublin]
/ref> This same custom forms the basis of John Greenleaf Whittier's poem, "Telling the Bees".
Upon returning home he continued his religious services at Tybroughney
Tybroughney, statutory spelling Tibberaghny ( ga, Tiobra Fhachna), is a civil parish in the barony of Iverk, County Kilkenny in Ireland. The parish comprises a single townland, also called Tibberaghny. It lies on the north bank of the River Suir ...
. He is said to have been honoured with the episcopal dignity, about the middle of the 6th century."Bees in Medieval Ireland', South West Cork Bee-Keepers' Association
/ref>
References
External links
* ttp://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=5148 St. Modomnoc - Catholic Onlinebr>Chaomhánach, Eimear, "The Bee, its Keeper and Produce, in Irish and other Folk Traditions", University College Dublin"''A Saint and His Bees''" by Dessi Jackson
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Modomnoc
6th-century Irish priests
Irish beekeepers
6th-century Christian saints
Medieval Irish saints