Peat is partially carbonized vegetable matter formed by decomposition in water. It is the earliest stage in the formation of coal. Peat is generally formed from partly decomposed roots, branches, leaves and seeds. Peat bogs are prolific in Ireland (15% of surface area) and were the principal source of cheap fuel from the 17th century onwards. Harvesting peat is called “cutting turf” in Ireland, and once it is cut and set out to dry (usually in long squared-off logs), peat can be used as fuel. These photos are of the peat bog in Connemara, the western portion of County Galway, on Ireland’s west coast.
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