A picture of a turf fire in a pub in Offaly has received “millions of comments” online as social media users debate whether turf fires should be allowed in an era of climate chaos.
JJ Hough's Pub in Bangher, County Offaly posts a picture every year when it lights its first fire of the autumn
What is usually a mundane occurrence, suddenly blew up as environmentalists chastised him for doing something so bad for the environment.
Turf is a fossil fuel and burning it contributes to climate change and air pollution - which is why the Government recently introduced the commercial sale of the product.
On Moncrieff, Ger Hough explained how he and his pub got swept up in a very 21st century debate.
“There’s been millions of comments online,” he said.
“When you sit around and you dwell in your solitude looking at the internet, you start thinking, ‘The world has gone mad, political correctness has gone into overdrive.’
“I got some solace from the fact that 99% of all the comments were actually in support of it.
“Then you realise the world hasn’t gone mad at all.”
Turf cutting on a plot on the Galway-Roscommon border. Image: Henry McKean/NewstalkMr Hough said it was a relief that the “silent majority” supported his right to burn a turf fire, while only a “small vocal minority” were against it.
The Hough family have been resident in the local area for decades and still dig turf from their family bog.
“We harvest our own peat every year - have done since I was a child.
“My father did it before me and his father before him.”
Mr Hough described it as “very labour intensive”.
“You have to handle each sod individually,” he said.
“From the time you cut it, you have to foot it up into little piles to allow the wind to dry it.
“Then you have to throw it into the trailer, then when you get home you have to put it in the shed.
“Then when you have it in the shed, you have to put it into bags, then you have to bring it inside and physically put it on the fire.”
Main image: Flames coming from a turf fire. Picture by: Alamy.com
