In Praise of Poteen

In Praise of Poteen by McGuffin, John. paperback edition. ISBN: 9780862817688.

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.