There are countless stories of shenanigans when it comes to poitín. Once banned in Ireland, the alcoholic beverage is a bit like Irish moonshine and has caused all kinds of mischief. Take for example the island of Innis Murray, off the coast of Sligo, where the inhabitants went rogue and declared themselves a kingdom so as to continue distilling the drink after it became illegal.
Or there’s the tale of Urris Hills, in the Inishowen peninsula of County Donegal, which was a hive of poitín making. When the Garda (the police) tried to shut down this illegal production, the townspeople sealed off the town by collapsing Mamore Gap and declaring themselves the independent nation of the Urris Republic of Poitín. Because the town was fairly self-sufficient thanks to their farmlands and fishing, The Urris Republic of Poitín lasted for three years before the English were able to break up this coup… read more >
