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| Footing the turf |
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| Tommy and the turf we cut- left to dry until next week ready for footing |
A Day in the Bog.
In school we had watched the DVD where three generations of the Healy family were cutting turf in the bog.
In geography and science we had studied the flora and fauna of the bog but Tommy Healy made our understanding come to life.
Thanks to Tommy,our visit was quite memorable.
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| Cutting with a sleán |
He demonatrated and explained the traditional skills of cutting turf.
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| Tossing onto turf bank |
He made us all feel welcome talking about life in the past where many of our Grandparents used to work like him cutting turf.
We divided up into 4 groups
While one group was busy cutting with a sleán - Anna and Abbie brought their own from home, others were footing the turf that Tommy had cut last week.
Then another group explored the sounds and sights of the bog. One group discovered three different types of lichen- matchstick, cup and bearded.
We heard the skylark but failed to see where it was hovering overhead.
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| Learning how to foot the turf |
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| upclose to matchstick lichen |
There was plenty of sphagnum moss. Beware it is wet where this moss grows.
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| Bearded lichen |
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| Footing turf- wet side up |
We examined the turf bank and saw many layers of the bog created over thousands of years.
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| Thanks boys great work |
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| Yum |
All work and no play... not quite.
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| Happy Birthday |
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| Lunch Break |
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| Dirty hands was fun |
Thanks to all who came, Willie, David and Ciara but especially Tommy who made it all possible.
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| Any sign of a watch?? |
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| This is heavy. |
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| Time for a chat |
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| Tommy's Dog |
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| Completing worksheets |
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| Studying the flora |
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| Paperwork |
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| Outdoor classroom - studying a turf bank up close Thanks to all for a super time in the bog |
