Poitin (Potcheen) & The Potcheen Hussars.

                             A Christmas cake or stocking filler…

                                   Poitin (Potcheen)

 

Picking up on the spirit of Christmas we can have a quick snifter at the history of the making of this illicit brew.

The making of Poitin was banned by King Charles 11 in 1661 and then finally made legal in 1997. 

This clear beverage has a blurry

300 year history and the hangover lives hand-in-hand with traditional Irish folklore.

From the Ballybay Affray of 1797 through to the deployment of “Gaugers” and later the Irish Revenue Police (1832-1857) the production and supply of this illicit liquor became a game of cat and mouse between those of the needy (Irish peasants) and those of the greedy

(British Government).

As late as the 1960’s the penalty for being caught red handed distilling Poitin was a single £10.00 fine. For a second offence the fine was doubled and interestingly it was very rare,  if ever, that anyone was imprisoned for this pastime.

Not until 1997 was the ban lifted relating to the production of Potcheen in Ireland and finally in 2008 the European Union issued full Geographical Indication status (GI) to Poitin and its licensed production in Ireland.  This was further endorsed by the Irish Government laying down production and bottling regulations in 2013.

NB: It is still illegal to make the illicit version!!!

The apparatus for making Illicit Poitin was easy and cheap to acquire and the profits were vast and therefore when the authorities were involved  sometimes violence raised its ugly head. During the period 1832-1857 the Irish Revenue Police sadly lost four servicemen in the course of their duties.

The Irish Revenue Police were issued with the above pistol. This being a fish-tailed stocked .577 calibre percussion pistol with octagonal rifled barrel of approximately 6.25 inches. Overall length 12”. The reverse side with belt hook. A manstopper in anyone’s language!!.

In addition to the pistol the Revenue Police were given access to a cutlass and percussion carbines. So renowned were this band of men that throughout Ireland they were referred to as the “Potcheen Hussars”

An online search is advised to all readers as the history of Poitin/Potcheen is a long and very interesting part of Irish culture.

Merry Christmas to all.

David Stroud.

NB: Our sincere thanks to the owner of the above pistol for photography, specifications and    permission to publish.