School: Druim Bréan Lios (roll number 15029)

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1. How Poteen Used to Be Made here

   

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   Until quite recently poteen was made in this locality. A still was seized in Gorletters[?] thirteen miles from here, two years ago.
   This is how poteen was made:-
   The corn after being threshed is put into bags say about 1 cwt weight in each bag, and thrown into a pool of water where it is allowed to remain for 24 hours. Then it is lifted and spread on an earthen floor, where it remains until a growth becomes visible. It is then gathered into bags, and taken to the mill where it undergoes a process of shilling and crushing. It is then taken and placed in barrels with hops or yeast or both mixed up together and filled with water until it ferments which takes about three weeks - when it is then known as fermendted liquor before distillation. It is then placed in the still on a strong fire. It passes in the form of vapour through the arm of the still, into what is known as a worm which goes through a barrel of cold water known as the cooler. When the still is empty or all the vapour has passed through it is called singlings.
   The singlings are then put back into the

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Informant

   Michael Murphy

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Aghawillin, Co. Leitrim