Westport Honey

The apiaries sit on the land of local farmers in the shadow of Croagh Patrick, looking out over Clew Bay, in country of old meadow land and ditches thick with clover, blackberry, whitethorn and apple blossom, with heather on the hills above. Because there are no arable crops of note in this part of Mayo, nothing gets sprayed, and the bees work every flower, tree and briar within three or four miles of the hive.

The honey is left natural and unpasteurised, as they put it, never touched by human hand and straight from the hive to the jar. Alongside run and set honey they take a late heather crop and an ivy honey, and at Christmas they make gift packs with beeswax lip balms, pure beeswax candles and beeswax moisturiser blocks. They have won prizes at honey shows around Ireland, including the Dublin Honey Show.