The Story of Bog
10,000 years ago as the ice age ended and the glaciers began to melt, deep pond like areas were left in the landscape. Over time these became water logged and filled with vegetation. The special environment that resulted eventually transformed into what we know today as raised bog.
The other type of bog found in Ireland is called blanket bog, these are mostly found in mountainous areas around the coast.
Blanket bogs are like carpets of peat. During the Bronze Age with the arrival of new tools the process clearing the forests began. The practice of burning the vegetation also prevented new plants from growing again. Over time the land became water logged and the transition to bog began.
Actually one sixth of Ireland is covered by bog, that's almost 2.5 million acres!
