Moville Smuggler Escapes Over Border to Avoid Capture
Moville Smuggler Escapes
Michael Haining, who left Moville in 1964, and who was back in town for his first major visit since then, told me this story today and I thought it was worth sharing.
It involves a bus trip to Derry and back from Moville.
Incidentally, Michael tells me a story passed on from his, and my Granny, Annie (Farren) McLaughlin that she remembers the first ever bus coming tp Moville.
She told him that people were so nonplussed by the bus coming along the Derry road that some were jumping into ditches to get out of its way.
But this story is a little later, he thinks, round about the end of the war.
Customs Post
It was in the days of the Customs Post at the border.
The Customs Officer got on the bus for his usually cursory check walking up and down the aisle of the bus, nodding to people he knew.
There was a woman there with a folded up umbrella resting on the floor.
He accidentally kicked it and knocked it over.
Out spilled a whole load of Drimmer dyes.
Ran Off the Bus
The woman ran off the bus while the Customs Officer picked them up for her.
She ran towards the Donegal border.
While she ran a whole load of wax candles fell out from underneath her dress.
So, the Customs Officer picked these up as they fell out onto the road.
However, the candles had become soft with being in such close proximity to her skin.
It seems that the Customs Officer just wanted to give them back to her.
Back Over Border
However, she legged it as fast as she could over the Donegal border believing herself in huge trouble as a smuggler – and made it back to safety.
He doesn’t know who the woman was.
Perhaps she is still amongst us.
Perhaps it was someone in Moville’s granny or great granny.