Irish pub’s battle with ‘virtue-signalling’ vacationer centre over turf hearth

An Irish family pub has blasted a local tourist centre as a ‘virtue signalling troll’ after it told them off over their carbon footprint under a picture of a traditional peat fire.

JJ Houghs Singing Pub, in Banagher, Ireland posted a picture to their Facebook page of two customers innocently enjoying the first turf fire of the season on Friday.

But local tourist centre Working Holiday Ireland was not happy about the use of turf as fuel and decided to publicly reprimand the owners of the 250-year-old pub.

In the comment section, they said: ‘I see you’re burning turf?! Carbon footprint guys…’

Turf fires have been used to heat rooms and cook food in Ireland for centuries but it has been a hot topic of debate in recent years as they release a lot of carbon dioxide.

However, JJ Houghs quipped back at the tourist centre in a lengthy reply that has received thousands of likes.

The pub said: ‘It’s how we heat the pub. Looking at your page you rely on tourists from abroad coming to Ireland correct? How do they get here? They hardly swam.

‘How would you quantify and compare the emissions of a Boeing 747 to a small turf fire. How do your guests get around Ireland when they arrive, do they walk?

‘I also see by your page you promote Dunnes Stores, who have 138 stores in Ireland and abroad, do you query their carbon footprint? When your guests are here do you check their clothing to ensure they aren’t made of synthetic polyester,a byproduct of petroleum. Did you write your critique of my turf fire on a phone or laptop? Both of which were developed and are powered by fossil fuel technology. 

‘Maybe think before criticising a small family run pubs turf fire. Maybe call in some day and I’ll give you my carbon footprint up your hole.’

Working Holiday Ireland were told to ‘stop digging’ in the comments after they came back again and wrote:  ‘Joking aside, 

‘Turf=Peat…

‘Peat=Carbon Capture=Good for the Environment

‘Burning Peat/Turf=Less Carbon Capture=Bad for the Environment’

Turf, also known as peat, is made of partially decayed plants and is harvested from peatlands by turf-cutters.

It forms over the course of millions of years as the wet conditions slows the process of plant decomposition. 

In October 2022, the Republic of Ireland banned turf-cutters from selling turf and other solid fuels like smoky coal and wet wood online or in retail premises but they can still sell them privately if they have the necessary turbary rights.

Turbary rights are the rights to cut and take turf away from an agreed area of land and are often attached to rural homes and have a property folio number as proof. Most people in Ireland buy turf from local turf-cutters with these rights.

However, the local Air Pollution Act, which dates back to the 1980s, has not been changed. The law states that people excessively burning solid fuels can face a hefty fine of almost €13,000 (£10,956) or jail but it falls on local councils to enforce it, which they rarely do.

JJ Houghs made a separate post the day after Working Holiday Ireland’s comment doubling down on their position.

The pub wrote: ‘When we posted a seemingly innocuous picture of our first turf fire of the season, little did we realise there was a virtue signalling troll waiting in the long grass armed and ready to snipe at one of the main pillars of Ireland, the turf fire.

‘We were delighted with the messages of support which reveal that people are still proud of the traditions and heritage that make us Irish. From that first discovery of fire, it has contributed to the development of culture and language throughout the ages and continues to be the centrepiece of the Traditional Irish Pub where we gather to converse, communicate while sometimes being lewd and lascivious but always good craic. Do not hasten to abandon all tradition just yet.’

People have since flocked to Working Holiday Ireland’s Facebook page to leave comments under their posts about the tourist centre’s carbon footprint and to stick up for the pubs right to burn a small turf fire.

A spokesperson for Working Holiday Ireland told MailOnline: ‘Working Holiday Ireland is committed to helping Ireland reduce its carbon footprint and meet its carbon emissions targets as per the Paris Climate Agreement. 

‘However, judging from recent IPCC reports we as a global community are well off target. The innocent comment was made in the vain of everyone pulling together and doing what ever they can, no matter how small, to help in the fight against this growing climate crisis. We can already see the devastation and destruction current extreme weather events are having on our planet and things are only going to get worse if that kind of “laissez faire” attitude continues. 

‘I am sure we all have friends around the world who have felt the brunt of these extreme weather events and would appreciate all efforts, no matter how small. If we keep moving forward like this without taking responsibility all of our intertwined futures on this planet will not be sustainable.

‘I believe Ireland as a whole has it very easy compared to other countries and should set an example for others to follow. As Sir David Attenborough put it “we need immediate action to stop this extinction crisis…what happens next is up to everyone one of us!”. I do appreciate the heritage significance of “turf” in Ireland but it’s time for small sacrifices for a greater good, who knows if we stop burning turf today maybe future generations might be able to enjoy the cultural and heritage significance of it in the future.’

MailOnline has also contacted JJ Houghs Singing Pub for further comment.

Owner of JJ Houghs Singing Pub, Gerald Hough, 44, told MailOnline: ‘We have 2 fireplaces, 2 open fires, and it’s our only way of heating the pub, and I post a picture every year of whoever is sitting there at the time. If you garner something about climate change from that, it means there’s something severely lacking in you. 

‘I’m not against flying but the page that commented [Working Holiday Ireland], they bring in people from abroad. It’s the hypocrisy that annoys me more than because I’m not going around commenting on other people’s pages on what they do and don’t do.’