Across the hills of Inishowen in County Donegal, you’ll often spot curious little towers of dark brown blocks standing quietly in the landscape.

To many visitors, they look like neatly stacked bricks.

To generations of Irish families, they meant warmth, comfort and survival through the long winter months.

They are turf.

For centuries, turf was at the heart of life in rural Ireland. Long before electricity, oil-fired heating or gas boilers, families relied on this remarkable natural fuel to heat their homes, cook their meals and gather around the fire after a day’s work.

What is turf?

Turf is another name for peat, a natural fuel formed over thousands of years in Ireland’s boglands.

As mosses, grasses and other plants slowly accumulated in waterlogged conditions, they gradually formed deep layers of peat beneath the surface. This process takes thousands of years, making Ireland’s bogs both a remarkable natural landscape and an important part of the country’s heritage.

A Summer’s Work for a Winter’s Warmth

For many families across Inishowen, cutting turf was an annual tradition that marked the arrival of summer.

Armed with a special turf spade known as a slean, people travelled to the bog to cut neat blocks of peat from the earth. Freshly cut turf was then laid out across the bog to begin drying in the fresh Atlantic air.

Over the following weeks, the turf was turned by hand several times before being carefully “footed” into small towers. Left standing for up to eight weeks, the sun and wind slowly dried each piece. As it dried, the turf developed a hard outer layer and gradually became lighter, making it an efficient fuel for the colder months ahead.

The larger pieces became known as sods, while the smaller fragments were called clods. Every piece would eventually find its place beside the family hearth.

It was hard physical work, but it was rarely done alone.

Families worked side by side, neighbours helped one another, and children often joined in by turning the turf or helping stack it. Time spent on the bog became part of the rhythm of rural life, where work and community went hand in hand.

More Than Just Fuel

To many Irish people, the smell of a turf fire instantly brings back memories of home.

It recalls cosy evenings around the fireplace, stories shared with family, kettles gently simmering on the range and cottages glowing with warmth while Atlantic winds swept across the hills outside.

Even today, that distinctive earthy aroma drifting from a chimney is enough to transport many people back to childhood. It’s a scent that has become deeply woven into Ireland’s cultural memory.

Walking Through Turf Country

If you’d like to experience this landscape for yourself, the Slí Croí Inis Eoghain Walking Trail offers a wonderful opportunity.

Beginning at the Sliabh Sneacht Centre in Drumfries, this scenic 6.1 km loop follows traditional routes that local communities have used for generations to reach their turf banks. As you walk through open bogland, you’re following paths once travelled by families carrying their tools to the bog each summer.

Today, the trail offers peaceful surroundings, spectacular views across Inishowen and a chance to experience a landscape that has shaped local communities for centuries. It’s where nature, history and tradition come together in one unforgettable walk.

A Living Landscape

While turf remains an important part of Ireland’s cultural heritage, our understanding of peatlands has also evolved.

Today, healthy bogs are recognised as some of Ireland’s most valuable natural habitats. They store vast amounts of carbon, support unique wildlife and help protect biodiversity. Because of this, peat harvesting is now far more limited than it once was, balancing the preservation of cultural traditions with the protection of these remarkable landscapes.

Discover the Story for Yourself

As you explore Inishowen, keep an eye out for stacks of drying turf beside country roads or across the hills. They’re far more than an everyday sight.

They tell the story of generations who lived closely with the land, relying on it not only for food, but for warmth, comfort and survival.

And if, on a cool evening, you catch the unmistakable scent of a turf fire drifting through the air, you’ll be experiencing one of Ireland’s oldest and most enduring traditions.

Did you know?

On the Slí Croí Inis Eoghain Walking Trail, many of the paths you follow today were once used by local families travelling to and from their turf banks. Every step is a small connection to a tradition that shaped life in Inishowen for generations.