Tina Claffey shares the joy of capturing the micro world of the bog at the Bog Bothy, Milltownpass

By Helen Shaw, Tóchar Stories

Group of people gathered outside Bog Bothy on a bog holding DSLR cameras and taking photos of plants. — Nature photography Tina Claffey sharing the art of capturing the hidden world of the bog (Helen Shaw)

It may be early June but we’re all wrapped up in our raincoats and hats for an evening in the Bog Bothy, Milltownpass, Co Westmeath, for a workshop exploring the hidden beauty of the boglands with nature photographer Tina Claffey.

Woman standing in front of a tv showing a presentation. She is holding a camera and speaking to a group outside of frame. — Tina Claffey hosting a workshop at the Bog Bothy, Milltownpass, Co Westmeath (Helen Shaw)

WATCH: Tina Claffey on how she discovered the hidden world of the boglands

The blue and yellow peatlands community engagement hut, created by architects, 12th Field and the Irish Architecture Foundation, is touring across three Midlands communities this Summer with the support of Tóchar. First up for May and June is Milltownpass Tidy Towns who have brought the bothy to Milltownpass Bog – a National Heritage Area (NHA) under National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS). It’s a beautiful location for the bothy with an horizon of white topped bog cotton, an edgeline of frontier pines, the sound of the cuckoo echoing and even the rustling of deer amongst the trees.

Two women standing on a bog each holding a camera. Both looking at one camera in one of the women's hands looking at photo just taken. — Tina Claffey showing the art of macro-photography at the Bog Bog, Milltownpass, Westmeath (Helen Shaw)

Tina Claffey, a native of Birr, Co Offaly, is an artist whose practice is now focussed on using macro-photography to reveal the hidden micro world of the boglands – like sundews – so tiny we can step on them, unaware, and think they are nothing but with a macro lens a glorious world of colour, oranges and red, with a lollipop head is seen. These tiny plants thrive in bogs and, as Tina shared with the group in her Bog Bothy workshop, are super efficient at catching and dissolving tiny insects like the midges that torment us. Tina shared her own breath-taking work but then mentored us to both identify and photo capture these bog beauties – even with a smart phone.

You can see my iPhone attempt below (amazing to see the raindrops) but visit Tina’s website for her stunning award-winning beauties.

Close up image of Sunday plant. — Sundew on Milltownpass Bog (Helen Shaw)

What’s equally fascinating about Tina’s work is that she spent years working as a nature photographer in Africa, capturing vast landscapes and wildlife, flying overland to capture flamingoes, before returning to Birr and rediscovering the wonder of her native boglands by looking down at the land through a macro lens. It was the writer and geographer John Feehan who inspired her and opened her eyes, and world, to paying attention to what is often beneath our feet. He’s our David Attenborough”, she says.

Tina Claffey is now working with John Feehan on a beautiful series of short videos with Offaly Heritage, about the Offaly wildflowers, based on Feehan’s own book. Here’s one they made on bogbean – a familiar plant on our wetlands. (interestingly what Feehan shares in the video is how the humble bogbean was once used to treat menstrual cycle problems).

Close up photograph of bogbean — Tina Claffey’s Bogbean @TinaClaffey 2026

The Bog Bothy is ideal for a workshop like this where people can gather inside for a session and then step outside to discover and put ideas into practice. Milltownpass Tidy Towns has a full schedule throughout June unpacking different ways to chat and discover the landscape through creativity or learning – for all ages.

Tow men standing talking and smiling in front of bog bothy. — Ronan Lynsky, Milltownpass Tidy Towns with Eugene Dunbar, ETHOS, Tyrrellspass, Co Westmeath (Helen Shaw)

Next up, by mid July, the Bog Bothy moves to Cornafulla, Co Roscommon and then by mid August back to Westmeath and the Ballymore community until September.

Landscape image with Bog Bothy in the background. Three people in the middle ground looking at plants on the bog and taking photos. — Looking down, taking macro photos at Milltownpass Bog after Tina’s workshop (Helen Shaw)

If you would like to find out more about Tina Claffey’s work do check out her photography books in your library and follow her on Instagram for often daily delights.