Smuggling (1941)

My uncle Mathew was a smuggler and he used to bring tobacco and wine and other things from Flush(flushing). He used to be with Caiptín Ó Máille sometimes and sometimes with Paidin Ban ‘ac Cormaic. Páidín was a great a smuggler and he had a ship of his own and he used to have a man named Leneghan from Ballycroy, a first cousin of my mother’s with him and a man named MacNeela. I think Mac Neela was from Tóin Re Gaoit (A Townland between Malranny and Achill Sound) or Claggan in Ballycroy . Páidín himself was from Croc Maoilín in Ballycroy and he was a relation of my mother’s. They used to put their cargoes out at Tóin na Dúmaca (a place in Corraun) sometimes and they used to bring the stuff from there on horseback to Newpor, and in the country.old men used to bring a hundredweight of tobacco on their backs from Tóin na Dúmaca to Newport at night, I seen the men mesil’ an was talking ‘to them. (The distance from Tóin na Dúmaca to Newport is about 14 miles s.m.) Páidín Bán was drowned himself. He was a fine tall strong man and he used to wear brógaí go (de) leatar na Spáinneac up to his knees. There was a song composed about Páidín, I heard it often in Ballycroy.