Briquette, the name, originally French ("small brick"), given to a comparatively new form of fuel, made mostly from waste coal dust, and used, not merely for household purposes, but in various industries. A briquette is simply an admixture of coal dust with pitch, molded under pressure and heat, the pitch or some similar substance being introduced to form the cementing material.

Entry from Everybody's Cyclopedia, 1912.

A briquette is different in Ireland. They are small highly compressed pieces of peat. They come in handy sized bails ready to be burnt on fires. Each brick is about 19 cm long, 7 cm high and 4 cm deep, and each bail usually has 2 rows of 12 bricks. They are easer to light, give off less smoke and produce more heat than regular turf. They also give off a nice homely kind of smell. Despite not being coal, you can still make some killer fires with these.

They are made by crushing the turf to a powder and then drying it out. It is then compacted and the remaining moisture binds it together to make nice size blocks.

The main manufacturer in Ireland to produce briquettes is Bord na Mona. They produce it in Co. Tipperary and Co. Offaly.

Bri*quette" (?), n. [Also briquet.] [F., dim. of brique brick.]

1.

A block of compacted coal dust, or peat, etc., for fuel.

2.

A block of artificial stone in the form of a brick, used for paving; also, a molded sample of solidified cement or mortar for use as a test piece for showing the strength of the material.

© Webster 1913