Warm glow of Irish peat takes edge off oil woes

KNOCKVICAR (Reuters) – As an autumn gale assails his hilltop cottage, Pepijn Martius sits beside a peat-fired stove, savouring the earthy smell and glowing warmth that has cost him little more than a sore back.

“For my pocket it’s much better,” said the 27-year-old Dutchman. “If I would heat with oil or gas I would spend probably quadruple the amount of money that I spend on peat.”

The clumps of peat, or turf, are dug from Ireland’s bogs — waterlogged land formed after the last Ice Age. They must be turned regularly and stacked to dry before hauling them home.

It’s a time-consuming task but soaring oil prices mean a new generation is rediscovering the tradition.

Reuters