KarmaTube Video

The images of a roaring turf fire warm us as we watch this video of a way of life that is swiftly fading. Headed out on his motorbike with a spade and a pitch fork, a man joins others who share with him the difficult but companionable work of cutting turf to heat their homes. Set in County Kerry, in southwestern Ireland, this poignant film documents the vanishing traditional way of cutting turf from the bog, which is quickly being replaced by machines. The men share tea and sandwiches and the camaraderie that comes from joining together in a difficult task, secure in the knowledge that their homes and their families will be warm in the coming winter months. They are aware that the days of the bog and their time in it are numbered, which gives a heightened importance to their work as they are determined to enjoy every minute of it.