Traditional Irish Peat Turf - Hand Cut in Ireland and Packed in a Traditional Hessian Turf Sack. Authentic Irish fire Experience with a Unique Aroma.

Product Information

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.” The so-called ‘turf wars’ has been one of the most contentious topics in Irish politics of 2022. In April this year, the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications and Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, recognizing the need to reduce Ireland’s CO 2 emissions and the impacts of air pollution ( burning of solid fuel causes around 1,300 deaths annually), and aware of the importance of healthy peatlands as carbon sinks, proposed a ban on the sale of turf (peat). Today only 14 per cent of Ireland’s population use turf as heating fuel, so the proposed ban would seem a simple way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland. However, the issue is complex and emotions are running high. 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. A purpose grown cultivated lawn turf suitable for domestic lawn uses and landscape projects. The selected seed cultivars offer enhanced performance in all quality landscape situations. Key Benefits Include

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. According to Niall Ó Brolcháin of the Insight Centre for Data Analytics / Data Science Institute at the National University of Ireland, Galway, “there appears to have been an upsurge in turf cutting as a result of the current energy crisis, which has pushed up the price of other kinds of heating fuel and led many people to use turf instead. Turf cutting is, of course, very destructive to peatlands, but the way that turf is cut is important as some ways of cutting are much less harmful than others. Education and training on minimising harm to peatlands should help reduce the damage to peatlands until alternatives to turf, such as geothermal heating and district heating schemes, become more accessible and more affordable”. While people are encouraged to upgrade their homes to cleaner energies, that is not feasible for many thousands of homeowners across the country, particularly in rural Ireland.Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (2011) ‘Bogland: Sustainable Management of Peatlands in Ireland’. Ireland weather: Met Eireann's 'damaging' double yellow warning for Monday as wind and ran to batter country We supply nationally to all lawnturf users both large and small. Summerhill Lawns Ltd is used by many well known companies and organisations, including Aras on Uachtaran, Botanic Gardens, Office of Public Works, many golf clubs throughout the country including the K-Club of Ryder cup fame, large and small building developers, GAA pitches, Landscapers, golf course construction companies and many Garden Centres. Summerhill Premium Landscape Lawnturf His partner, Fiona Conlon, an IT tutor, said Irish governments had surrendered the sugar beet industry, fishing rights and other assets to European diktats. “Now it’s turf. We’re being left with nothing. It’s like they don’t want you to own anything or have a sense of independence.”

Government has said the focus of the new solid fuels regulation is to to cut down on the sale and therefore the burning of smoky coals, turf and wet wood, fuels they say have been proven as "a major contributor to air pollution in Ireland." Some openly cut turf in special areas of conservation despite aerial surveillance and regular warning letters to desist. “I’m not worried about it but it’s threat after threat after threat – your head is just so fried with it,” said Colm Higgins, 56, a plasterer who cuts in Mouds Bog, a protected part of the Bog of Allen. “It’s the wildlife crowd flexing their muscles and hoping we’ll go away. We’re not going away.”Having a garden has been proven to make the biggest increase in the resale value of a person’s home adding as much as 20%. Beyond the climate and sales values, your lawn provides so many mental and physical health benefits. Cathasaigh said fuel allowances and energy credits had cushioned households but some still relied on peat, coal and wood, adding to chimney smoke. “Air quality affects health, one follows the other.” Lawn Turf Summerhill Lawns are leading growers and national supplier of cultivated turf for all turf users. As lawn specialists in lawn turf production we supply a wide range of turf for different uses in DIY, landscaping, sports pitches, golf, and all amenity sectors. The new solid fuels regulations state: "People with turbary rights and all other customary practices in respect of turf will be unaffected by these draft regulations. They will continue to be able to cut turf for their own use and will retain the ability to gift or sell turf. However, no sale of turf may take place by way of the internet or other media, or from retail premises." Read More Related Articles

There is consensus in Ireland that the climate crisis is real – deniers get no traction. Nor do populists, as a rule. However, the battle over turf has exposed rural grievances that echo supporters of anti-establishment politicians in Britain, the continent and the US. The ban, which will come into effect on 31 October 2022, is viewed as controversial for two primary reasons: because turf-cutters fear losing their ‘way of life’ and energy ‘ independence’; and because peat is often the cheapest fuel in rural Ireland for heating homes.

Ploughing a New Furrow

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. With 80 per cent of peatlands in Ireland degraded, the waiting game for change is up. Efforts are being made to assist turf-burning households to burn less of it and transition away from dependence on turf to heat their homes. The government has set up measures to support households that are at risk of energy poverty, including a fuel allowance scheme. Another initiative is the Energy Efficiency Scheme, which offers a 50 per cent grant towards the cost of retrofitting a home to include energy-efficient technology. The scheme has been criticised, however, as retrofitting costs, on average, €25,000 for standard home and up to €75,000 for an older or larger home. Even though homeowners only pay half of these amounts, many find such an investment beyond their means. The beds created by working with a loy (or those created in a similar fashion with other tools, such as a modern garden spade) are often called “lazy beds” or “ridges,” and they’re ideal for planting potatoes. 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.

Yet the Dáil erupted, with independent rural deputies and the main opposition party, Sinn Féin, accusing the government of violating traditional rights and condemning people to fuel poverty. Ryan’s coalition partners also turned on him. Leo Varadkar, the Fine Gael leader and tánaiste, or deputy prime minister, said removing turf cutting from rural Ireland was like removing pasta from Italians or wine from the French. The comment drew widespread criticism. “The production of wine and pasta doesn’t kill people. It’s a very misleading analogy,” said Sweeney, the climate expert. after newsletter promotion I don’t care what Putin does with his gas, we’re independent John Dore, turf cutter New rules on the sale and burning of solid fuels came into force in Ireland last week. The changes were long-touted and tightened the rules on the sale of solid fuels like turf and coal across the country.

Peat which is also commonly known as turf is effectively decayed plant vegetation that has built up over many years. Our peat is all sourced from Ireland and is from an area where there are open marsh lands that produce some of the best peat in the UK. From a more scientific view point, burning peat is a low sulphur alternative to burning logs or coal and provides a superb heat output and a long lasting burn. Unlike wood that generally burns with a long orange flame our Irish peat briquettes burn with a short flame. What are Irish Peat Briquettes?