Newmarket in county Cork is the venue for the ‘Newmarket Poteen Festival’ although the production of the drink is illegal.
In advance of the festival, organiser Michael Flanagan demonstrates the workings of a mock-up poteen still to RTÉ reporter Cathal O’Shannon.
As poteen making is illegal, Flanagan makes it clear from the outset that he is not an expert in poteen making. Nevertheless he points out the main functions of the poteen still before him.
Here you have the gas cylinder, you have what’s known as the container for holding the wash, you have the worm here going through cold water and out here comes the actual poteen itself.
Poteen makers run the poteen through the still about three times to produce drinkable or “good poteen”.
Flanagan hopes a live poteen making demonstration, using this apparatus, will take place a symposium in the Hi-land Ballroom on 31 October. However a special exemption from the authorities will be required for this to happen. He is hopeful this exemption will be forthcoming and on the night of the symposium they will be able to make real poteen.
This episode of ‘Newsbeat’ was broadcast on 28 October 1970.
