Folklore: "Donegal pioneer cleared of owning poteen"

The Irish Times

Opinion Section; Monday, July 7, 1997

Poteen is good for you. At least it is for an arthritic pioneer whose habit of bathing in the illegal elixir as an alternative therapy got him into hot water with the law.

The Donegal Democrat reports that Mr Hugh Diver from Mornagan was cleared by Glenties District Court of charges of possessing nine litres of poteen after the judge accepted evidence that it was for medicinal use.

Judge Thomas Fitzpatrick ordered the destruction of the substance which gardaí uncovered beneath floorboards in the cellar of Mr Diver's home. The paper says it was suggested in court that Mr Diver would almost need to "swim" in the poteen to exhuast his supplies.