Manchán Magan explores ‘An Fód Deireanach’ (The Last Sod)

This April on TG4 a new 4-part series, ‘An Fód Deireanach’ (The Last Sod), presented by Manchán Magan, explores our complex relationship with the peatlands of Ireland.

An Fód Deireanach takes viewers on a visually spectacular, informative and entertaining tour of the secret treasure of Ireland’s landscape, our peatlands.

Ireland is a bog superpower; we have the third largest amount of surviving peatland in the world. The bog is part of our culture and heritage; but these biodiverse habitats are under threat.

Covering a sixth of the country our peatlands began to form 10,000 years ago. With many of the bogs in the rest of Europe already gone, today in Ireland we stand at a crossroads. Do we stop and take stock for future generations or do we keep digging until we come to the last sod?

Each of the four episodes concentrates on a particular aspect of the peatlands. First up, Manchán takes a look at climate change; can saving our peatlands help save the planet? He visits Bord na Móna, who say “the world is changing and we are changing with it”.

Investigating where that leaves the average turf cutter, Manchán meets with campaigners who say that without turf cutting rural Ireland can’t survive.

During episode two, Manchán looks at the ecological importance of peatlands. With Éanna Ní Lamhna, observing carnivores plants within a fragile ecosystem, he learns that there is more to the bog than just turf. He explores the healing properties of the bog, sampling a popular tonic for the Celtic curse, hemochromatosis.

Manchán also asks if we can strike a balance between the preservation of the peatlands and the preservation of our culture. We have a unique relationship with the bog, many of us would have vivid memories of a day on the bog, being attacked by midges after a back-breaking day of work. But there was something magical about the landscape that drew us back.

Not quite land not quite lake, the bog is an in-between world where Pucaí, Grogachs and Gouls ruled. A source of inspiration for artists, poets, and writers from Paul Henry to Seamus Heaney, it’s been a part of our fabric of society for centuries, always there, providing us with a fuel source to cook our food, heat, and light our homes.

But isn’t it time we gave something back?

Manchán investigates what lies in store for the bogs of Ireland. Managed properly, the Peatlands can provide so much for us, “a sod of turf is worth more to us in the ground than on the fire”.

Living bogs provide protection against floods, increase biodiversity, improve the quality and amount of drinking water and they are our greatest natural ally in the fight against carbon.

Manchán questions whether it’s time we cut our Fód Deireanach.

The series begins on Thursday April 7 at 8pm on TG4.