Busy bees make Áras life sweet

We were most concerned to learn this week that President Higgins has hives. Awardwinning hives, no less. They must be huge.

But there is no need to worry. The Office of Public Works is looking after them.

For they are Michael D’s hives for the honey bee.

It’s good to have a nice agriculture story, because it’s been a busy week on that front.

As Simon Coveney battles to preserve the good name of our excellent Irish beef, life is ever so sweet for his Fine Gael colleague Brian Hayes.

The Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW had a very pleasant duty to carry out on behalf of the nation yesterday afternoon.

He was a big winner at the National Honey Awards. Don’t tell Enda, who likes to think he’s our national honey.

At a glittering and star-studded ceremony in the packed Phoenix Park Visitors’s Centre (bulking agents aren’t merely used in meat processing plants, you know – we have a column to fill here), Hayes picked up a prize for a natural and unadulterated Irish product.

The cream of Ireland’s apiarists applauded as the Minister was given his gong for first place in the “novice 3 jar” category at last year’s Clonmel Honey Show.

This amber nectar belongs to Michael D, who milks his own bees in a bee-loud glade at Áras an Uachtaráin. Or something like that.

Actually, these native black bees (Apis Mellifera mellifera), which are billeted in the most prestigious address in the country, are looked after by the OPW with the assistance of the Federation of Irish Beekeepers.

The presidential honey recently won an international award for its quality and it is used at State functions.