Mayo Books Press are delighted to be putting together an anthology of new Irish writing on the bog. An book of poetry and prose that explores the ecological, historical, and cultural significance of the Irish bog.
Turf. Labour. Cuckoo. Hare. Swallows. Orchids. Heather. Flask of tea kept hot in a sock. Turf in the sandwiches. Sunburned shoulders. Old buckets of cow feed filled with sods of turf. Diesel of the tractor. Fossil fuel. Heritage. Self-sufficiency. Loss. Process. Carbon.
The bog: ancient, a carbon sink, energy source, way of life, ecosystem, childhood memory. A place of heritage, of nature, of inspiration.
As a publisher based in Castlebar, we are surrounded by bogland, and familiar with its significance to our communities. The anthology will showcase how bogs connect us to our natural and ancestral roots, while also exploring themes of heritage, the rural working-class, and ecological and historical conservation.
We particularly welcome submissions by writers from underrepresented backgrounds and from members of new Irish communities.
We look forward to reading your work.
Submission Guidelines
Poems: 1-3 poems, max 40 lines per poem
Prose: 1 piece of prose, max 2000 words
Email in .doc format, with ‘Bog Anthology’ in the subject to
Deadline: 5pm on 1st of March 2026