SMUGGLING was a major industry in the Omeath Area, during the wartime and post-war years. Rationing sent thousands or people Southwards, in search of forbidden fruits and other scarce commodities.

Easily accessible by rail, road and water, the little village on the shore of Carlingford Lough proved a magnet for day-trippers in the 40�s and 50�s.

So, Customs officials would be poised on the pebbly beach at Warrenpoint; at Bridge Street railway station in Newry; and also at the British customs post on the Newry-Omeath road, ready to pounce on those suspected of evading the regulations.

Back in Omeath, long queues would have formed outside the public toilets on the sea-front. They were not people, who were �caught short�, or had a sudden attack of �tummy bug�.

No, they were waiting their turn to conceal contraband goods about their person. Indeed, tourists on the promenade at the `Point must have anticipated a baby-boom, as many seemingly-pregnant women were disembarking from the ferry-boats!

One woman, under the influence of alcohol, hid packages of butter under her ample bloomers. But, by the time she had reached Warrenpoint, the melted butter was running down her legs.

One small, buxom woman aroused suspicion that she was smuggling some articles. A Customs official pointed to her chest and enquired: �What are you hiding in there?� She responded: �Nature.�

On a bus from Omeath to Newry, one Saturday night, many of the passengers were laden with smuggled goods. At the Customs post an official got on, who obviously had a few drinks taken. He demanded to know who owned a certain article on the rack.

But a professional man on board accused him of being �drunk and smoking on duty�, warning that he would be reported. The customs man left �with his tail between his legs.� And the passengers raised a cheer that they had retained their contraband.

Meanwhile, one fishmonger, with a van-load of Dublin prawns, donned dark glasses, and crashed his vehicle through the wooden customs barrier. According to the law, once a person was inside the North, they could not be prosecuted for smuggling.

Another merchant was transporting a lorry-load of spools of thread and other items in short supply, North of the border. He arranged for a close friend, a parish priest, to travel with him in the cab of the vehicle. At the border, the Customs official saluted the priest, and waved them through.

Onions were in great demand, and loads would be left in a field above Paddy McCann�s pub (now Davey�s). They would later be carried across the fields into the North, where a lorry would be waiting. There would be plenty of craic; but one night there was a crisis, when a smuggler fell into the rover and had to be rescued.

Cattle and pigs were also smuggled across the border, along the same route. Some cows were transported from as far away as Kerry. In many cases, they were processed at illegal abattoirs, with the meat and bacon being sold on the black market.

The Newry Food Office, based at the former Carstands School on the Mall, was in charge of rationing. Inspectors would be despatched to the various shops, which sold food, confectionary, clothing etc., to ensure that only �controlled� prices were charged.

Since a quantity of the onions, carrots, tomatoes etc on sale, would have been smuggled, higher prices would be charged, in order to pay the �henchmen,� who had illegally brought the goods across the border. Those found guilty of over-charging would face heavy fines or even jail.

However, so huge were the profits, that those convicted could shrug off the penalties. And there was speculation that some Customs officials were taking back-handers, and would �look the other way.�

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