Prosperous

This project contrasts seasonally two types of bogs in Ireland, the so-called black deserts and the intact bogs that now only cover 7% of the country. The starting point is a town called Prosperous, a failed industrial town located next to the Bog of Allen in County Kildare. Mechanical extraction of Peat has been a major source of industry in this area and throughout much of Ireland since 1946 leaving behind changed landscapes. While this extraction has fuelled much of Ireland’s economic growth these stark landscapes of black earth, devoid of life and water remain. As Ireland is now on a legally bound path to net zero what to do with these areas is a fundamental question.

An intact unexploited or restored bog is a living ecosystem, a natural Carbon sink and home to an incredibly diverse range of Flora and Fauna. Their role in the regulation of the earth’s atmosphere is just being understood.

These images take a journey through Ireland’s bog lands over the seasons. They compare and contrast the black earth bogs with living intact and restored bogs. They look at the scale of land used to fuel Ireland’s economic development and ask could these areas play an equally important role in Irelands and the planet’s transition to a greener future.