A Peat Industry

Raised bogs are normally found in the midlands, including in Offaly, where moderate levels of rainfall occur annually. They have a flat surface and are very deep in some areas, with depths of over 13 metres. Up to 1946, these bogs were used for cutting turf by hand. Then the government set up Bord na Móna to develop a large-scale peat industry.

New and bigger machines were designed to exploit the bogs in a commercial way. First the bog is drained to remove part of its high water content. Then the peat is harvested using huge machines. Railway tracks are laid down so that special turf trains can transport the peat to factories and power stations.