Ireland is rich in peatlands. Peat was often mined in “plots” for self-sufficiency. For the population it has been an important heating material. There were peat fields all over the country where everyone cut peat for their own use. It was laid out to dry and later stacked.  When it was really well dried, it could be used as heating material. 

Until 1993 there was still a combined heat and power plant in Allenwood, County Kildare, which was fired with peat.  At the beginning (1950s) up to 1800 people worked in the peat fields here, in 1990 only 40. They lived with their families in shanty towns. Later, machines took over the peat extraction and the settlements fell into disrepair. In 1993, the power plant was shut down and demolished. 

Peat was used as a raw material in the chemical industry. For example, paraffin was extracted from it or care products were produced. Mixed with horse manure, it was used for breeding mushrooms. 

The Grand Canal was an important transport route to get the peat to Dublin. There is still a fuel trade there today, located directly on the canal. It is one of the oldest in the country, established 180 years ago. In 1990 Mr. Gordon sold about 60 tons of peat a year, coal about 1000 tons. Horses pulled the boats across the canal to the town.

The photos shown here were taken on analog film and taken in 1990.

The digitisation of the slides was made possible by a grant from Neustart Kultur, VG Bild/Kunst, Federal Ministry of Culture.