Whiskey for a Sick Man — Poteen Found in a Bedroom
The Connacht Tribune, Saturday, March 1, 1930.
A poteen raid by Civic Guard had a sequel in Galway District Court on Thursday, before Mr. Sean Ford, D.J., when James Lydon, Gortahackree, was summoned for a breach of the Illicit Distillation Act.
Guard Sheridan, Galway, in answer to Supt. Heapey, Oughterard, who prosecuted, said that he was one of a party that searched the country around Tullokyne on revenue duty on November 16 last: In a room in Daniel Lydon's house he found a five—noggin bottle which contained about a quarter glass of poteen. Mrs. Lydon said that it was whiskey which she bought for a sick man. — To Mr. Counahan, solr. (Messrs. O'Dea and Arkins, Galway) for Lydon, the witness said the bottle was on a chair. — Mr. Counahan said that the summons was addressed to James Lydon. — Guard Sheridan; Mrs. Lydon told me that Daniel Lydon was the owner of the house, but I subsequently ascertained that James Lydon is the rated occupier. — Superintendent: This man, James Lydon, is the defendant and he was here in court.
James Lydon then gave evidence that the house belongs to his father who pays the rates. Witness was out all day on November 16, and he had never seen the bottle of poteen before. — To Supt. Heapey, he denied that the farm had been assigned to him when he got married a few years ago. He would be surprised to hear that he is the rated occupier of the house. Witness sleeps in the bedroom in which the poteen was found. There could be forty jars in the room and witness would not notice them. — the superintendent suggested that the bottle should be handed to the witness and that he be asked if the liquid which it contained is poteen — Justice: Do not mind doing that. He would swear that bog water is whiskey and that whiskey is bog water. — The Superintendent said that the defendant has not been previously convicted, and the justice said that on account of the small quantity of poteen found he imposed a sentence of three months' imprisonment with hard labour, but the warrant is not to be issued except defendant is found guilty of a similar offence within the next three years.