From the archives: Mayo man made poteen to pay for passage to England

By Tom Gillespie

THAT driven by poverty, he was compelled to manufacture four gallons of poteen for sale in order to pay his passage to England, was the defence put up by Patrick McGreever, Cloonleoragh, at Swinford District Court, in January 1936, when charged with being in possession of a quantity of illicit spirits.

Supt. Somers prosecuted and Mr. Corr defended.

Sergeant Barrett said he was on revenue duty at Cloonleoragh. He searched the defendant’s dwelling house and in a room off the kitchen he found a still.

Mrs. McGreever said the still was used for boiling stuff for the greyhounds. The bottom portion of the still was burned. Witness was present when an arm of the still was found and was also present when Guard Connor found two bottles of poteen in a bed in the kitchen.

“When I asked her if she had any more in the house,” continued witness, “she got excited and said ‘come over and I will get it for you.’

“I accompanied her to an outhouse and from beneath a stone she took out a jar containing about two gallons of poteen. She said her husband made it before he went to England two months previously.”

To Mr. Corr, witness said the defendant made a full disclosure and that they were in poor circumstances.

Mr. Corr: Defendant admits the offence and I consider the circumstances were extenuating. My clients are extremely poor, and this man wanted to pay his passage over to England to earn money there in order to pay his rent, and by making the poteen was the only way he could get the money for his passage.

He is very poor and while he is not working he is getting the dole. This is the first time he has ever been engaged in poteen making, and it will be his last, so he will throw himself at your mercy. He was forced to do it owing to circumstances over which he had no control.

Patrick McGreever, the defendant, in evidence, stated that poverty compelled him to make the poteen found on his premises. He made it for the purpose of selling it to pay his fare to England.

He went to England and came home on November 10, 1935. The poteen was found on the 9th.

Cross-examined by Supt. Somers, witness said he was living in the house in July 1933. On that occasion the Guards did not find a still-head and worm there but found them in Reddington’s. Reddington was a son-in-law of witness.

Replying to the Justice (Mr. McCarthy) witness said it was the first time he made poteen.

He sold about four gallons at 5s. per pint.

Justice: The defence was that he was so poor that he had to make the poteen to pay his fare to England, so he will not be able to pay any fine I may impose.

Mr. Corr: If your Worship gave him reasonable time he will pay whatever penalty you may impose.

Justice: I am not concerned with the penalty at all. I am afraid he will have to go to jail.

Supt.: I don’t accept the defence that he is so poor that he had to make the poteen.

If given time, I think, he will pay any fine you will impose.

Justice: It is a dreadful thing for any man to make a quantity of spirits like that to go to England.

Supt.: This is a poteen district and unfortunately we cannot give this man a clean sheet although he has not been caught before.

I suggest you give him a chance to pay the fine.

Justice: The man says that this is the first time he made it and that he got £4 for two gallons.

There is too much temptation there for him.

Mr. Corr: Nearly every person in County Mayo knows how poteen is made.

What he wants to convey is that this is the first time he actually made it. In some parts of Mayo you will get young fellows from seven to eight years of age who are real experts in poteen making.

The Justice imposed a fine of £200, reduced to £12, and refused Mr. Corr’s appeal to reduce the fine.