Bog Gothic: Boglands in Irish Literature

“They've taken the skeleton

Of the Great Irish Elk

Out of the peat, set it up

An astounding crate full of air.”

From "Bogland", Seamus Heaney

Mysterious and otherworldly, bogs have inspired Irish writers for centuries. This reading and writing workshop delves into the cultural impact of boglands on Irish literature, their metaphorical significance, and their potential as gothic settings for creative writing.

After exploring selected excerpts of bog-inspired poetry, prose, and non-fiction, the tutor will guide you through a series of exercises to help you respond creatively to this iconic natural landscape.

“Then the convulsion of the bog grew greater; it almost seemed as if some monstrous living thing was deep under the surface and writhing to escape.”

From The Snake’s Pass, Bram Stoker

This workshop is delivered in partnership with the NI Science Festival.

Tutor Bio

Stephen de Búrca is a writer and workshop facilitator from Galway. He completed a doctorate, funded by the UK Arts & Humanities Research Council, at the Seamus Heaney Centre at Queen’s University Belfast (2025) and an MFA at the University of Florida (2020). He was selected for the inaugural Poetry Ireland Gerald Dawe Poetry Bursary (2026), for Poetry Ireland Introductions (2023), and an Arts Council Agility Award (2023 and 2022).

Stephen’s work has featured in Poetry Ireland Review, PN Review, Banshee, Propel Magazine, Abridged, and elsewhere. His debut poetry collection, Atlantic Fret, is forthcoming with The Gallery Press in 2026.