February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Andrew Bushe
DUBLIN — In the folklore of poitín-making, the addition of carcasses to the brew is supposed to give it an extra kick, but a consignment seized by gárdaí in Donegal would literally make you rat-faced drunk — if you could even stomach it.
In the biggest poitín raid so far this year, 500 gallons of wash, 70 gallons of finished product and 230 bottles of poitín were seized four miles north of the town of Buncrana on Good Friday, the day when all the pubs are supposed to be closed in Ireland.
Dead rats were found in the wash and others were running around the makeshift distillery that was dug into a hillside.
Inspector Greg Sullivan, who led the raiding party in the secluded area, said there was an obvious health risk and it was warning to people not drink the illicit brew.
"I cannot see how rats having an input into the manufacture of anything would be in any way helpful to their [consumers’] general well-being and health," he said. "It certainly wouldn’t encourage anyone to go drinking it."
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Just before Christmas, another moonshine operation about a mile away was raided and 100 gallons of wash and 20 gallons of poitín were seized.
Sullivan said there had been no arrests as a result of the latest seizure but that a file would sent to the director of public prosecutions.