One of the best known stories regarding Saint Modomnoc concerns his work as a beekeeper in
Saint David's monastery . Bees were kept both for their honey and the production of wax. When the time came for him to return to Ireland, three times the bees followed in great swarm and settled on the mast. With Saint David's consent he let the bees sail with him and introduced the
honeybee to Ireland on his return from Wales. 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. This same custom forms the basis of
John Greenleaf Whittier's poem, "Telling the Bees". ==Bishop==