Black Bee Apiaries started in 1968 under Master Beekeeper Jim Moloney. He started keeping Native Irish Honey Bees (Apis Melifera Melifera) also known as Black Bees in his back garden at Fountain House, Main Street, Ardmore, Co. Waterford, Ireland.
Jim was a true nature lover, and his passion for bees was evident to all who knew him. He was always willing to share his knowledge and loved nothing more than a lengthy chat about bees and fishing! Jim set up a number of Apiaries and began supplying Ardmore Pure Honey to locals from the Ardmore Area. Jim passed on his great love and knowledge of bees to his son James from the early age of 11.
The Ardmore Area in Co. Waterford is renowned for its natural beauty, particularly the village’s Cliff Area, which is covered in clovers, heather, and wildflowers. This was the original foraging area for Jim’s bees and continues to be to this day. The taste and quality of the Ardmore Pure Honey is really exquisite and well worth tasting.
On Jim’s passing in September 2017, his son James took over the Apiary management. James has continues the link with Ardmore and has a number of Ardmore Apiaries producing the same beautiful raw honey. In 2019 James started to diversify Black Bee Apiaries into the sale of Bee Hives populated with native Black Bees. This was an immediate success and the demand is growing.
The reputation for craftmanship and quality of the hives and hive components along with both docile and very productive Black Bees have led to the continued growth of the business to the point that James’s son Paddy joined the business in April 2021.
Paddy now a third-generation beekeeper took over the Hive-making responsibilities and has continued to grow the sales of Hive and Bee Keeping Supplies, bringing Black Bee Apiaries to the forefront as a Key Supplier of Bees and Bee Keeping equipment in the Republic of Ireland.
Black Bee Apiaries host and manage Bees for a number of companies, organizations, and individuals in an effort to conserve and promote the Native Irish Honey Bee population through our Hive sponsorship program.