Irish whiskey Act, whiskey produced by registered distillers was known as "Parliament whiskey", while that produced by illicit producers was, and still is referred to as "Poitín", a Gaelic term meaning "small pot" (often anglicised as poteen) in reference to the small pot stills used by the illicit distillers. However, although traditionally the product of illicit production, many legal varieties of "Poitín" have come to market in recent years. In the 18th century, demand for whiskey in Ireland grew significantly, driven both by strong population growth, and by displacing the demand for imported spirits. Growth in the latter is very much visible
Whiskey in the Jar Dubliners and The Clancy Brothers, with the former performing "Whiskey in the Jar"; the same compilation includes the Clancy Brothers singing "Whiskey, You're The Devil", in which the line "There's whiskey in the jar" occurs several times. Liam Clancy did record it with his son and nephew on "Clancy, O'Connell & Clancy" in 1997, and Tommy Makem recorded it on "The Song Tradition" in 1998. The High Kings, featuring Bobby Clancy's son Finbarr, released a version in February 2011. Thin Lizzy's 1972 single (bonus track on "Vagabonds of the Western World" [1991 edition]) stayed at the top of the Irish