Irish turf was burned in open fires in pubs, hotels and homes all over Ireland in years gone by. Let's explore what is Irish turf?
When most Americans hear the word "turf" an image of green grass immediately comes to mind, like the lush green turf of a golf course, or the plastic green of artificial turf.
Table of Contents
What Turf Means to Irish People
For Irish people the word conjures up dreams of lapping flames, and the distinctive smells of a turf fire.
And so today I thought I might introduce my American readers to Irish turf.
Known as peat in other parts of the world, the Irish prefer the term turf, unless referring to hard, compressed fuel blocks known as peat briquettes.
But whatever you call these brown earthen blocks, I think most Irish people appreciate the warmth and comfort of a turf fire.
Turf is dried peat and was a primary fuel source for Irish people for thousands of years. Turf was Ireland's solid fuel for centuries.
The Smell of A Turf Fire
The smell of a turf fire is nostalgic for many Irish people. It evokes warm memories for many of us. I remember sitting beside my granny's open hearth as a little one, inhaling the sweet smoky air.
People from Scotland also have fond memories of peat fires.
The aroma of turf or peat smoke is very distinctive. It exudes an earthy perfume, filling the air with a magical aroma of ancient oaks and moss.
If you love this smell then you might like to check out the Irish cottage Irish Cottage Turf Incense Burner Set from Gifts of Ireland. These little burners can fill your home with your favorite scent of Ireland.
Cutting Turf in A Bog
Upon hearing the word 'turf' my husband immediately recalls days of back breaking summer toil, cutting, stacking, drying and bagging winter's fuel supply.
When he reached his teenage years, his poor father had to peel him off the bed to come help him in their Donegal bog. Somehow the lure of an ice cream cone at the end of the day had lost its appeal for a cool teenager.
In the past, Irish people used turf to heat their homes and cook their food. Turf was harvested from a bog. Cutting turf by hand is a laborious task.
A two-sided spade called a sleán (pronounced slawn) is used to slice blocks of peat from the bog.
So much work was involved entire families, in years gone by, took part in the summer turf cutting expeditions to the bog. Everyone's effort was necessary to save enough fuel to sustain the family throughout the cold winter season.
Preparing turf requires drying it out so that it will ignite when lighted.
Sods of newly cut turf are laid out in the sun and turned to allow them to dry.
Back Breaking Work
The turf blocks or sods are then stacked into small 'stooks' as shown in the photo above.
These little towers of peat allow the wind to blow through the sods and help with the drying process.
Standing the sods of turf upright and leaning them against each other is no easy task. This process is called 'footing' the turf.
Stacking turf is back breaking work.
Very few people cut turf these days, but in some western counties turf stacks can still be seen in the summer months, balancing precariously against each other to dry out in the wind and the sun.
The sods of turf in the picture above are almost ready for the fire. However, they probably wouldn't see a match until the cold days of winter.
Once the turf is deemed dry enough it is gathered together into a great mound or rick for storing.
Seamus Heaney Poem - Digging
Séamus Heaney is one of Ireland's most revered poems. His poetry reflects on rural life in Ireland when he was a boy growing up in County Derry.
Here's a short excerts from his poem "Digging"
My grandfather cut more turf in a day
Than any other man on Toner’s bog.
Once I carried him milk in a bottle
Corked sloppily with paper. He straightened up
To drink it, then fell to right away
Nicking and slicing neatly, heaving sods
Over his shoulder, going down and down
For the good turf. Digging.
This beautifully crafted verse underscores the importance of hard work and bringing home the turf in rural Ireland.
Turf Cutting During The Great Irish Famine
In the summer months of 1846, at the time of the Great Irish Famine (1845 - 1850) many Irish people were too hungry and weak to work in the bog.
Cutting turf and saving it was exhausting work. A day at the bog was a daunting prospect on an empty stomach.
As a result the poorest Irish folk had an inadequate fuel supply stored for the winter months of 1846-1847. And to make matters even worse, that winter was cruel, with bitterly cold temperatures.
I have read that people took to drying cow dung to burn in their fires for heating, since they had no turf saved.
Such sad, sad times.
In the photo below a rick of turf has been gathered on top of the high cliffs overlooking the Atlantic ocean on the Inishowen Peninsula in County Donegal.
Turf Cutting in Ireland Today
Turf cutting was primarily completed by machinery in the vast bogs of Ireland's inland counties in the past decades.
However, climate change and Ireland's efforts to go green and reduce air pollution have resulted in a ban on the mass production of turf.
Those that own their own bog still have turbary rights to cut turf for their own use, but are not permitted to sell turf to others. This exception is important, because for some rural residents, turf is their primary source of heating during the winter months.
But you'll still see turf stacks in unusual places along the coast.
Turf cut from peat bogs may be the traditional fuel in the west of Ireland, but unfortunately it is a smoky fuel. It has been banned in smokeless urban zones.
In my granny's cottage kitchen in rural Ireland turf was the fuel of choice. I still remember the bright, lapping flames of the turf fire, and the sweet aromatic scent that permeated her kitchen.
If you've every wondered about how turf is cut, just check out this video from County Antrim.
Thanks to the filmmakers for giving me permission to link to it ...
In the next video you can take a closer look at the turf ...
Turf brings back lovely childhood memories.
Let us know in the comment section below if you have ever had the pleasure of warming your toes in front of a glowing turf fire, or perhaps you endured days on end of back breaking labor to save the precious turf when you were a child. I'm looking forward to reading all your stories.
Many Irish pubs in the west of Ireland still burn turf in open fires, helping tourists and locals experience a little bit of the olden ways of Ireland.
Thanks for following my recipes and ramblings.
Slán agus beannacht,
(Goodbye and blessings)
Mairéad -Irish American Mom
Pronunciation - slawn ah-gus ban-ock-th
Mairéad - rhymes with parade
Here are some other posts you might enjoy...
John Ongena
After our first visit to Ireland I couldn't get enough of the aroma and warmth of a peat/turf fire. I found several sites on the internet and had original turf and peat briquettes shipped to me and it was so worth the effort. After many visits to Ireland I still can't get enough of the feeling we shared with the locals. I use my turf sparingly but when I do the whole neighborhood smells like an Irish village and my backyard is my Irish Pub where good craic is spoken.
John
Irish American Mom
John - I'm delighted to hear you were able to buy some Irish turf and have it shipped to your home in America. What a perfect fuel for a back yard fire pit. Turf smoke creates an atmosphere and aroma that stimulate conversation. Don't know how it works, but perhaps it just relaxes us, and gets us talking.
All the best,
Mairéad
Gerard Boyle
If You Are Bad Santa Will Give You Turf In Your Christmas Stocking LOL
Irish American Mom
Hi Gerard - Hopefully there won't be too many sods of turf delivered to Irish children this year. 🙂 🙂 🙂
All the best,
Mairéad
Sara
This was a lovely essay about the turf. It's been a joy for me to experience the turf fires in pubs and hotel lobbies in trips to Ireland. Once in Christy's Hotel (in Blarney) our windows were open so we could smell the sweet smoke at night. The next morning, our night clothes were astonishingly permeated with the scent of the turf smoke. In a crazed moment, I tucked my nightgown in a zip loc bag, sealed it up and brought it home and kept it for those homesick moments when I'd give anything for the scent of that smoke. It kept in the plastic bag for many months.
When I think of Sligo town, the memory of the turf smoke is what often comes to mind. It came out in verse:
Had County Sligo on my mind all day
longing to go back there in the worst way.
the countryside littered in ancient stone
crosses and circles and magic places, still and alone
Hargadon's pub with the stone floors and fiddler and bodhran drummer.
the wildly evocative scent of turf smoke
even in Summer.
those Sligo folk know how to create an atmosphere
that seeps inside the visitor's heart
and torments her all year.
Irish American Mom
Sara - I love this little tale of how you captured the scent of Ireland's turf fires and saved it to ignite your memories of your trip. How clever!
Your little poem about Sligo is wonderful. Sligo is one of Ireland's most beautiful and charming counties. It's easy to understand why Yeats loved it there.
Sligo inspires poetry in all of us.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Caroline
Hi There
Caroline here in Ireland,just lying in front of a stove filled with turf. As far as I know its not illegal to sell turf but it can't be sold in a retail outlet or advertised anywhere for sale. Could be wrong but almost sure I'm not.
Irish American Mom
Hi Caroline - Thanks for clarifying that. That's good to know. I'm sure there are many people in the country who rely on getting bags of turf to keep warm through the winter.
All the best,
Mairéad
Lury
My husband took myself and our boys to Ireland for our 25th . We loved it and the fires in the bed and breakfast we stayed in had turf fires. It was great! I grew up hearing stories from my grand mother that were pasted down from her grand mother about Ireland. This trip was so wonderful 14 days was not enough I can still smell the turf in my mind and can't wait to go back. Thanks for sharing Ireland
Irish American Mom
Lury - I hope you make it back to Ireland to smell the turf fires once again. I'm delighted to hear you enjoy my ramblings about Ireland.
Take care,
Mairéad
Aimee
We happened upon some turf blocks in our Irish Import store last year and grabbed a few to use last winter. We loved them! This year we bought a little cottage and some turf blocks (much like an incense burner) and it sits on our piano, ready whenever we are! I do notice that it gets really smoking in our living room- so I have to 'put out' our cottage turf fire after a bit, but there is nothing quite as wonderful as the smell it brings to our home.
Irish American Mom
Aimee - Turf really is a smoky fuel, but it's the most aromatic smoke I know. I'm so glad you were able to find some turf blocks in Kentucky to burn in your Irish cottage. What a lovely experience for your little ones.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Angela Brown
We love the smell of a peat fire! Since going to Ireland in 2008, we try to go over every year. A few years ago we were following a peat wagon just outside Tullamore. I kept telling my husband I wanted to get some and take home. He laughed at me because we don't even have a fireplace. Not long after that the wagon hits a rut in the road and a block falls off. Now, by this time there was a L-O-N-G line of cars behind us. I didn't care, now was my time. I yelled at my husband to stop and. I got out and ran ahead and got my peat brick!!! I was so happy.
When we got back to our friends B&B we told him our story, which he loves our stories because I am always doing something crazy ~ whether it's climbing fence and going into abandon cottages or kicking on a privately owned castle and asking if we can look at their home....which is how we became good friends with Lady Dunsany! Anyway, so we are telling Todd our story, and then we start to wonder how we are going to get this back into the states. If y'all aren't familiar with peat bricks they are about the size of the kilos of cocaine that they always show on the TV! (do you know where I am going here...?) anyway, we can't decide if we should put it in our luggage or mail it back....Todd, being a retired Chief Inspector of the a drug enforcement of the Guarda tells me just to throw it in my carry on! Great friend, right? So we decide to ship it home....so I wrap it in cling film, now it really looks like a kilo of drugs! Then we take it to the post and they are all cracking up, thinking the same thing we are.....we are nuts and we are going to bed arrested for mailing drugs to ourselves! Well, we get home and wait and wait....nothing! After a month we decide it has been confiscated and give up on it.....Four and a half months later, with many many stickers on the package we finally get it in the mail! It was opened, x-rayed, and samples sent to a lab to confirm it was indeed peat....but we got it! It is making a wonderful doorstop! Remember I said, we have no fireplace!! 😉
Irish American Mom
Angela - Your story cracked me up too. I love it. You will definitely treasure your lump of turf after that saga. I hope you have written down your story, so that your sod of turf can become a family heirloom.
All the best, and thanks for stopping by to join in our turf filled conversation.
Mairéad
Brighid O'Sullivan
Angela, that is one of the funniest stories I've ever heard. Sounds like you had a great time in Ireland.
brian@irelandfavorites
Hi Mairead, A fellow and his girlfriend wandered into my now closed shop years ago, the girl says to her bo, "Oh irish turf we should get some it'll remind you of home" his reply is priceless and definitely Irish. " I've dug enough of that shite to last me a lifetime". I had to laugh.
Cheers,
Brian.
Irish American Mom
Love it, Brian! I think if I gave my hubby a sod of turf he would have the exact same reaction. 🙂 He spent many days of his boyhood summer holidays stacking turf, and all for a 99 ice cream cone at the end of the day.
All the best,
Mairéad
Debbie Ross
This brings back very fond memories of hot summer childhoods and indeed backbreaking work 🙂
Irish American Mom
Hi Debbie - So glad you enjoyed this little ramble about Ireland in days gone by. I think anyone who has saved the turf is not as nostalgic about the sight and smells of a turf fire, as tourists might be. The tough toil during the hot summer months is hard to forget.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Brighid O'Sullivan
On my first trip to Ireland we went to Bunratty folk park where they burned turf in the cottages and also in the pub, Dirty Nelly's. I found it to burn my eyes just a bit and was surprised at how slow it burned. I don't remember it being all that warm but this was in May so perhaps they needed more turf on the fire to make it hotter.
Irish American Mom
Brighid - The old homes in Bunratty folk park are very smoky, and it definitely hurts the eyes. I think the problem there is that the doors of the cottages are constantly open with many people coming and going. This creates a draft which sucks the smoke into the room.
How long a piece of turf will burn is dependent on the quality or density of the sod. My granny would sometimes add a log of wood to create extra heat.
All the best,
Mairéad
Liam Garvey
My late mother used to reminisce about "great days in the Bog".
I never saw the glamour in it myself! The work was tough, repetitive and boring, we used to go to my grandparents' farm in Kerry for the summer holidays and were conscripted into the saving of hay and turf.
But there was something natural in the work - it was part of the annual season in a farm - sowing in spring, reaping in summer and autumn and enjoying the fruits in winter.
Turf cutting has been banned in some parts of the country and the locals have defied the ban by continuing the harvest.
I have been promised a space in a bog next year and plan on introducing my own kids to the "joys" of the bog 🙂
Great article, by the way!
Irish American Mom
Liam - I think your memories of "great days in the Bog" are pretty much the same as my husband's nightmares. He still talks about losing the best days of summer in the bog. He says footing the turf was the hardest part of the whole process.
I like how you appreciate the cyclical nature of farming. The old way of life was a very natural way, with winter being a time for rest, a time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. I think we operate on over-drive all year round nowadays, but our ancestors enjoyed a more natural rhythm to their existences. I suppose that is the price we have to pay for the comforts we enjoy in life today. I often think of my grandmother, who worked so hard every day. She stuck to her daily routine because if a certain task was not completed, there was little time to catch up and compensate for that lost hour. She was a widow at 39 years of age, with 13 children in the 1930's. It's amazing what she accomplished. She too would have talked about "great days in the bog."
Anyway, thanks so much for stopping by and adding to our little trip down memory lane to the bogs of Ireland.
All the best,
Mairéad
Cheryl Barker
Mairead, that's neat that some of the Irish pubs are still burning turf fires so that tourists can experience that bit of Ireland's old ways. I'd love to be toasting in front of a fireplace right now! 🙂
Irish American Mom
Cheryl - When I was a little girl I loved to sit in front of an open fire with a mug of hot soup on a cold day. It sure would be nice to be by the fire today.
Take care,
Mairead
Meg
What a lovely post! My uncle used to take us " wee yanks" with him to the turf in Inishowen. How he got any work done with us constantly bothering him, I'll never know. We used to ride home on the hitch of the tractor after we filled the cart. I think of that when I yell at my kids to wear their bike helmets.
Irish American Mom
Meg - Like you I often think of the crazy, dangerous things we did as kids, like balancing on top of high bales of hay behind a tractor. I wouldn't dream of letting my kids take the risks we did, but then again we survived and had a blast. I loved spending time on my grannys' farms when I was a little one. You were called the "wee yank", and because I was born in Dublin, I was called "the little jackeen". Glad to hear you too have lovely memories of childhood days spent in rural Ireland.
All the best,
Mairéad
Carol Gleason
A friend bought some peat and tried to build and bank a peat fire in her old-time iron stove and, apparently, put in 6 times as much peat as she needed!!! The fire burned so hot in the stove that it stayed warm to the touch for almost 3 days. There was enough smoke rolling out of her little chimney, you would have thought it was one of the old factories belching smoke in Belfast.
Irish American Mom
Hi Carol - I read your comment first thing this morning and you gave me a good laugh to start the day. Your story reminded me of my granny in West Cork. When she first moved up from an open fire to a stove with a hot water tank attached, she would build such a big fire in the stove, you could hear the water bubbling and boiling in the tank. My mother warned us to stay away from the hot water taps, because Granny had set a "roaring fire".
Thanks so much for stopping by.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Glynn Bros. Irish Turf in Boston - SouthShoreIrish.com
Enjoyed this Blog this morning. Ideal weather here in Boston today to sit back by a Turf fire and read and enjoy your blog. We put up this Blog today up on our Facebook page for others to read and enjoy as well.
Slainte,
Glynn Bros.
SouthShoreIrish.com here in Boston
Irish American Mom
Thanks so much for checking out my recipes and ramblings, and for sharing my blog post about turf on your Facebook page. I really appreciate that. I checked out your website and you have quite a selection of turf products for sale. Wishing you every success.
All the best,
Mairéad
Janice
A few years ago I attended an Irish Fest and I purchased an item from a vendor named "Sneaky Peat". The item is called Home Turfs Peat 'N Scents. It the kit was a small 3 legged pot bellied burner which held a vigil lit candle. On top of the burner was a lid and under it was a small wire insert. Three ozs. Of small turf peat chips came in a bag. I would light the candle, put a couple of turf chips on toe of the wire insert and then I would sit back and enjoy the fantastic scent of the burning turf! It is the closest thing I can find, next to actually being in Ireland. We have been to Ireland so very many times as my husband has numerous relatives throughout Ireland. I would like to purchase another Home Turn Kit, but Sneaky Peats website doesn't seem to show this kit. Do you know of anywhere I could purchase such a kit? I want to give one as a gift to a friend. I will look for your reply and hopefully, you will have some good news for me! Thank you, Janice OBrien
Irish American Mom
Hi Janice - I'm afraid I've never heard of Sneaky Peats ingenious turf burner - it sounds like a fantastic idea. However, if it's the smell of burning turf you long for, the Killarney Candle Makers have a specially scented candle that replicates the smell of a turf fire. Here's their link ....
http://www.killarneycandlemakers.com/
I sent a message to the owner of this company to see if he could shed any light on the Home Turf's Peat "N Scents. I'll update you if I hear anything.
Thanks so much for stopping by to check out my ramblings.
All the best,
Mairéad
Arielle
Hello!
I am working on a play, Dancing At Lughnasa by Brian Friel, which is set in Donegal County, Ireland in 1936. The house it is set in has a fireplace which uses turf. How exactly do you put turf on the fire? Is it just stacked in around the sticks or is there a special compartment on the side for it?
Thank you!
Irish American Mom
Hi Arielle - I love the play, Dancing at Lughnasa. Many years ago I was lucky enough to see a production of it on Broadway, and enjoyed every minute. Wishing you every success with your production of this classic Irish play.
Once you have a turf fire lighting you can just lay sods of turf across the fire to keep the fire going. However, there is an art to lighting a turf fire from scratch. Usually the kindling is placed in the grate. This can be sticks, newspaper, or in modern times fire lighters are used. The kindling is set alight and the sods of turf are placed over it standing upright and leaning against one another, a bit like the wooden poles creating the framework for a teepee. The gaps between the balancing sods allow air to ventilate the lighting fire and to supply oxygen to keep it going. I hope my words describe this adequately for you to be able to light your turf fire.
Best of luck with the play,
Mairéad
Denny Granstrand
We were recently in Ireland. One of the friends we were traveling with was born in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. They talked about turf fires and we finally got to see piles of newly-cut turf in County Kerry. We were surprised in Clifden, County Galway, to see turf bricks for sale at the mini-marts, along with bags of coal. In Enniskillen, our hosts had a fire burning in the firepit on the patio and burned some turf for us to enjoy. The smell was wonderful!
Irish American Mom
Hi Denny - I'm so glad you recently had a chance to visit Ireland and to experience all that Ireland has to offer, including the wonderful smell of a turf fire. Briquettes are sold throughout Ireland, but they don't emit the same aroma as the real thing.
All the best, and thanks for stopping by.
Mairéad
Brendan Toohey
I've tried joining you're blog but it keeps on saying error.
Irish American Mom
Hi Brendan - So sorry to hear you had trouble joining my e-mail subscription list. I went ahead and added you manually. Thanks for letting me now about this problem. I'll see if I can get to the bottom of it.
Best wishes, and thanks for checking out my blog.
Mairéad
Gráinne
Hi
Just to say that turf is cut and used all over Ireland..not just in the west. In the cities its not used but everywhere else it is. It's definitely not a thing of the past and keeps us lovely and warm! 🙂
Gráinne
Co. Westmeath, Ireland.
Irish American Mom
Hi Gráinne - It's lovely to hear that turf fires are still enjoyed all over Ireland. There's nothing in the world like the smell and cozy warmth of a turf fire. Thanks so much for stopping by to check out my ramblings.
Take care,
Mairéad
Ken
I just made my own here in Ontario.
All you need is some peat moss from Home Depot. A way to make it into little bricks. I used cheap ice trays from the $ store. Mixed it into a nice muddy mess, a binding agent is a god addition. Then squeezed them in the molds under pressure, and let them dry.
It works a treat and smells like home. I bought a little Irish Turf kit in Belfast a few years ago, I used up all the blocks. So now I have an endless supply!
Irish American Mom
Hi Ken - I had no idea you could make your own turf bricks using peat moss - what a brilliant way to create a sense of home in your own living room. Thanks so much for sharing your tips with readers here on my blog.
Best wishes, and thanks for stopping by.
Mairéad
Samuel
Thanks turf. Amen 😉
Irish American Mom
🙂 🙂 🙂
Peter
We visited Ireland ten or so years ago, and one of the first, and most lasting, impressions for me was the turf fire at the Red Fox outside of Killorglin. It was in March, I was 36 hours sleepless, cold and a bit peckish. The fire was such a comfort, and the smell implanted itself in my memory instantly and permanently. I brought a block home with me and still crumble tiny bits on top of our wood stove to get the aroma when I'm feeling Irish. There's simply nothing like it.
Dennis D'Asaro
We are vacationing again in Ahakista, with a turf fire in the hearth. Doesn't throw a lot of heat. Are we doing this wrong?
I am curious whether peat is all prehistoric or is an ongoing process; suppose part of the question is how long vegetation takes to decay and compress into turf.
Irish American Mom
Hi Dennis - The heat and burning time for turf varies depending on how dry and dense the turf is. This varies from bog to bog. You may need to get a few logs, briquettes or a bag of coal to add some heat if your turf alone is not doing the trick. Enjoy your time in West Cork.
All the best,
Mairéad
B. v. Aarle
A very informative site. Visiting Ireland in summer I noticed the turf stacks in the coastal area. Turf was also extracted at a massively scale in the Netherlands from 1850-1970 and up till today, In case you have a possibility visit the turf musea:
http://www.veenpark.nl/
http://www.veenmuseum.nl/
to learn everything about this era.
Irish American Mom
Thank you so much for your links to this wonderful Dutch museum. I never before realized that turf was so widely used in the Netherlands too. Thanks so much for stopping by and adding to our discussion on all things turf.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Fr. Sean Mc Manus
Lovely article, Mairead.
I was born and reared around turf in County Fermanagh: in the historic, sprawling parish of Kinawley —as distinct from the tiny village of Kinawley— on the shores of Upper Lough Erne. Kinawley parish is divided by that damn Border (whether hard or soft) —part is in south Fermanagh and part in Swanlinbar, County Cavan.
We Fermanagh boys knew how to cut, “fill,” wheel, spread, “clamp,” and “draw” turf much better than the Donegal boys. So, to help your readers and your Donegal husband, here’s all about the art of cutting turf.
We did not have to travel far to the bog as it was in our own little 23-acre farm.
The turf-cutter, usually the older man, would cut the turf on the turf-bank (which could be a foot below the surface or a few feet below, depending how much had been cut off the bank).
The filler — lifting about three or four pieces of turf at a time— would load them on the turf-barrow (above him or below him).
The wheeler would then wheel the turf-barrow (flat barrow with a vertical board at the front, behind the wheel) a short distance to where the turf would be deposited. He would turn the barrow sideways
and let the turf slide onto the ground. When he returned, the second barrow was waiting for him filled with turf— and so it continued hour after hour.
At thirteen years of age in 1957 —and for the next two years— wheeling the turf was my job. “Filling” the turf (loading the barrow with about 20 pieces of turf), of course, was much tougher work. However, wheeling could be tough enough on a rickety, wobbly old barrow, especially when the ground wet and soft.
In a week or so, the turf had to be spread— the individual pieces of turf had to be separated, and spread individually on the ground to dry out.
The drying process was later completed by clamping — building the turf into very small “clamps” — little structures about 18 inches long and 18 inches high. Two horizontal rows of turf about a foot apart with about three rows of turf on top of each row with space between each individual turf, incrementally tapering into a joint roof with turf lying on top to seal the roof.
“Clamp” is the proper word for drying real turf (which is pure peat without all that stringy gristle stuff they have in the west of Ireland. Our turf, therefore, was always cut shorter, about seven inches long, otherwise it would simply not cohere without breaking apart— and, therefore, could not be “stooked”— that’s what is done to sheaves of corn.
We, sophisticated Fermanagh boys (girls almost never were seen working in the bog), clamped turf. And, Mother of God, we would have been chased out of the bog, and shunned for life, if we ever referred to the noble turf as “sods.”
Finally, for the less sophisticated, let me explain “drawing the turf.” When the grand day arrived that all the turf was thoroughly dried, we would “draw” it to the turf-house: saddle up the cart and horse and go to the bog; fill the creel (hand-made wooden basket) and pour the turf into the cart until it was filled to the brim and then trudge to the turf-house. And so it would continue hour after hour.
What can I tell you, Mairead, it was a work of art. A sacred ritual —Kinawley style.
As regards the smoke from the open turf fire: I was never aware it bothered me. Furthermore, although I was reared around hay, I never had hay fever until I came to Capitol Hill.
God bless America and God save Ireland.
Irish American Mom
Dear Fr. Sean - Thank you so much for sharing the intricacies of saving turf - Kinawley style, which was truly a work of art, although it be a laborious one. I love how you say, "and so it would continue hour after hour." Truly a labor of love and as you so beautifully say, "a sacred ritual." This sacred ritual is truly part of our cultural heritage and I hope it is not one that will be lost in the coming decades.
All the best,
Mairéad
Chere' Beavers
I am currently writing an historical novel set in 1850's Ireland. Your blog and posts by others have helped me so much in discovering some of the intricacies of using turf for cooking and heating. Thank you for your detailed information. Irish Bloodline - American Born and Raised
Jackie O’Sullivan
I have just ordered some turf for my fire. The rich aroma always reminds me of Ireland. My mother was actually a ‘Bog trotter’ back in the late 1930s-40s as a young girl. She would help cut and gather the turf.
I’m really looking forward to my delivery tomorrow. When I burn it, I shall be thinking of my mother as a girl, barefoot in The bogs.
Irish American Mom
Hi Jackie - Enjoy your lovely turf fire tomorrow evening. I hope those lapping flames will bring back wonderful memories of your Irish mother. Sit down, relax and enjoy your evening surrounded by the warmth of your fire and your memories.
Thanks so much for stopping by,
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Dolly Fitzgerald
Heaven! It's been years since my husband used to bring it back home on the plane. Can you get it in the US?
Irish American Mom
Hi Dolly - I believe you can buy turf briquettes in the US. The real sods may be harder to find. Briquettes are pretty expensive, costing ten times what they might cost in Ireland, but shipping is expensive. Here's a link for an online store that sells bales of briquettes.
http://irishturfdistributors.com/turf/
I hope this helps.
All the best,
Mairéad
Dolly Fitzgerald
Thank you! I so wanted the true sods so I ended up ordering from the Glynn Bros. of South Shore Irish in Boston, MA. I called and Michae Glynn told me all about the Turf and how popular it is here in the states with folks just like myself. They provide both the Turf Sods, as well as the peat briquettes. Thank you so much Mairead, for letting us know we can buy it here in the US.
http://www.SouthShoreIrish.com and phone number is (978) 884-7926 if anyone would like to order.
Looking forward to the wonderful aroma!
Dolly
Irish American Mom
Hi Dolly - I'm delighted to learn you sourced some real Irish turf sods. Enjoy the warmth of the lapping flames and that wonderful aroma when you light your Irish fire. Thanks so much for sharing the link for the Glynn Brothers website.
All the best,
Mairéad
Patricia Shea
I was in Ireland about 23 years ago and loved every minute of it. I'm hoping to return soon. I have a very vivid memory of the turf fires. According to my DNA I am 59% Irish.. Can't wait to learn more about my heritage.
Irish American Mom
Hi Patricia - The smell of burning turf is unique and it's amazing how many people hold treasured memories of Irish turf fires. I hope you make it back to Ireland very soon and get to explore the land of your ancestors some more. DNA testing is amazing and a wonderful way to confirm our ancestry. I haven't done it yet. My forefathers were all born in Ireland for centuries, but I'm interested to learn if there is a Spanish or Viking influence in my DNA.
Take care and thanks for stopping by,
Mairéad
Bob Bell
I would love to find a way to have some Irish turf as I experienced in the Northern counties over twenty yeays ago. Could it be shipped to my home in Pennsylvania, USA? Any ideas are welcome. Love reading and reminiscing on your blog. Thank you.
Irish American Mom
Hi Bob - Food Ireland is a company in the northeast that imports Irish food, but they also stock Irish turf from County Clare. Here is a link for a turf gift basket which they ship throughout the United States. http://www.foodireland.com/p/100402&AFFIL=9V69ilF4.html
Thanks so much for checking out my blog.
All the best,
Mairéad
Benjamin
Will never understand people. Smoke is bad for you, whether it's coming from a cigarette, a forest fire, or a turf-burning fireplace. Not to mention how bad turf fires are for the environment (very bad).
Sometimes traditional things belong in the past.
Irish American Mom
Hi Benjamin - thank you for sharing your views on environmental protection. There are many old practices that will need to be changed to protect our planet and burning turf is amongst them.
Take care,
Mairéad
Far West Turf
Your simplicity of presentation is motivating for learning. Please keep it up for your teeming followers
Andraus
hello Ms. Irish American and thank you for the article,
I did wonder since Ireland is just green plains with poor forestry, how could they survive in ancient times, interesting.
but isnt it, obtaining turf; considered today as soil errosion?
greetings from Alexandria, on Egypt's north cost.
Irish American Mom
Hi Andraus - Until the 1500's Ireland was home to many forests but unfortunately many of the trees were felled for boat building in the time of Henry VIII of England. Turf is still harvested in some parts of Ireland, but efforts are being made to preserve it as a natural resource, and a way to combat climate change. The boglands of Ireland are home to many plants and the turf can be a reservoir for carbon dioxide. The bogs will play a vital role in Ireland's efforts to combat climate change.
Best wishes,
Mairéad