Sir, - I too read Deasun Breatnach's article (The Irish Times, January 13th) asking "is it time for us to legalise poitin and market it abroad"? As many of your readers will be aware, this has been happening for many years. We at The Bunratty Mead & Liqueur Company have been producing poitin at our winery in Co Clare and exporting it under the brand name "Bunratty Potcheen" for the past seven years.
The Irish Government has consistently refused our repeated requests over the years for permission to sell our product on the home market, until it gave way to the pressure of the large UK-registered multinational represented by your correspondent Mr Ciaran Doyle (January 28th). Now Bunratty Potcheen, which has been on export markets for seven years, is also available on the home market. - Yours, etc.,
From Oliver Dillon
Managing Director, Bunratty Mead & Liqueur Company, Bunratty, Co Clare.