Ardagh Honey

Ardagh Honey started in Longford in the 1940s, when my Grandmother-in-law made her first hives and collected swarms of honey bees. She harvested honey for decades, passing on the apiary skills to her son, including how best to make hives, spot the queen and keep healthy hives. The bees thrived under her care and the local doctor prescribed her honey for ailments ranging from skin to breathing conditions.

When she died, her son Tom took over the farm and had his own family. After his children were raised and he was got out of dairy farming, Tom had a bit more time on his hands and re-established the family hives. He restored his mother's old hives and made some of his own. He now has up to 12 hives on a given year, with bees that are local to Longford or "city" bees from Dublin.

At 8, Tom's Grand-daughter is already learning the trade.