In Praise of Poteen

by John McGuffin

Bringing to life a legendary but little-known aspect of Irish history, this is a serious but by no means solemn study of illicit alcohol distilling in Ireland. It is a human and social document of unusual interest and a unique blend of folklore, economics, law, and, in its accounts of the inevitable conflicts between the revenue men and the poteen makers, tragicomedy. Neither romanticizing nor sentimentalizing the business, this study also includes background on the mania for ether-inhaling that afflicted certain places and people. This witty collection of historical anecdotes, recipes, and verses also contains a section of old photographs, which bring their own atmosphere and authenticity to the story.

Genres: Irish Literature, History, Nonfiction

120 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1978

About the author

John McGuffin (1942–2002) was an anarchist from Northern Ireland who was prominently involved with People's Democracy upon the onset of the Troubles in the 1970s.

Reviews

[Connor Browne]

A rather jolly book about poitín from the anarchist John McDuffin. A good light read but also informative and political, recommended!

[Padraic]

Made me dizzy. The book was good too.