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Music and Creative Climate Action Shine at ‘Bring a Sod’ Event in Griston Bog

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Music and Creative Climate Action Shine at ‘Bring a Sod’ Event in Griston Bog

More than 70 people ‘Bring a Sod’ to Griston Bog as part of the Ballylanders Pattern Festival

More than 70 people ‘Bring a Sod’ to Griston Bog as part of the Ballylanders Pattern Festival
The celebration honoured the bog as a source of warmth, heat, and life

Over 70 people gathered at Griston Bog on Saturday, 16th August, for the ‘Bring a Sod’ event, hosted by Ballyhoura Heritage and Environment Group as part of the Ballylanders Pattern Festival.

The celebration honoured the bog as a source of warmth, heat, and life, while recognising the cultural practice of turf cutting. Proceedings opened with Comhaltas Ballyhoura performing traditional music, as attendees each placed a sod of turf on a growing stack at the centre of the platform. The sound of music drifting across the bog echoed traditions from more than a century ago, when pipe bands led the people of Ballylanders to cut turf.

The day showcased a wealth of creativity and climate action, with activities that asked people to reflect on their relationship with the bog today. Bring a Sod facilitator, Ciara Moynihan, opened this creative exploration by sharing ¨The bog has always been a source of life. Today we value and protect it for its´ clean water, air, habitats for wildlife, and as an important carbon sink helping to mitigate the effects of climate change.¨


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Visitors transformed the outdoor classroom into a live chalk collage, expressing why the bog matters to them, while others contributed to a communal tapestry woven with local plants. This weaving will remain on display until Saturday, 23rd August.

Visitors also enjoyed an exhibition of wildlife photography by local photographer Tom Fox
A willow woman and her bog-life cloak presented by a UCC team (funded by the Insight Programme), and a sound installation by composer Sara Walmsley in the bird hide.

The day showcased a wealth of creativity and climate action, with activities that asked people to reflect on their relationship with the bog today

The event was curated by Ciara Moynihan, founder of CM Space and creative partner to Ballyhoura Heritage and Environment CLG, as part of the Síolta Glasa Creative Climate Action Programme, funded by Creative Ireland and Limerick City and County Council.

John Kennedy, Chairperson of Ballyhoura Heritage and Environment CLG, said, “Griston Bog is always open and free to visit, and as this event was such a resounding success, we would like to see if it can become an annual event, coinciding with the Pattern Day celebrations and the start of National Heritage Week.”

The next public event at Griston Bog takes place on Saturday, 23rd August (1.30–3.30pm), when Nature Network Ireland will lead a Peatlands and Climate Change guided walk and workshop as part of National Heritage Week.

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