POTEEN is good for you. At least it is for an arthritic pioneer whose habit of bathing in the illegal elixir as an alternative therapy got him into hot water with the law.

The Donegal Democrat reports that Mr Hugh Diver from Mornagan was cleared by Glenties District Court of charges of possessing nine litres of poteen after the judge accepted evidence that it was for medicinal use.

Judge Thomas Fitzpatrick ordered the destruction of the substance which gardai uncovered beneath floorboards in the cellar of Mr Diver's home. The paper says it was suggested in court that Mr Diver would most need to "swim" in the poteen to exhaust his supplies.

Drivers who appear in Listowel Court on charges of disobeying Garda instructions during heavy traffic have been warned by a judge they will lose their licences.

The Kerryman reports this warning by Judge Mary O'Halloran after a man was fined for causing traffic problems when he failed to obey Garda directions.

Judge O'Halloran said this was the third such case before her in recent weeks and she was "tired" of, people disobeying gardai

Shopkeepers in Rathdrum are experiencing traffic problems of a different kind, according to the Wicklow People. Shop owners claim the recent move by the council to paint double yellow lines on both sides of Main Street has led to a dramatic drop in business.

The lines are part of Wicklow County Council's efforts to ease traffic congestion in the town, according to the paper. But shop-keepers claim they are "squeezing the lifeblood from the heart of the community."

The community in Enniscorthy is "broken-hearted" following recent vandalism of 14 specially planted trees in the town.

The Echo publishes a photograph of the line of broken saplings in Mill Park Road beneath the headline: "Is this the saddest picture of the year in Enniscorthy?"

The paper joined with Enniscorthy Tidy Towns to offer "substantial rewards" to anyone with information that might lead to the vandals.

The identity of the benefactor who secreted more than 1,000 National Lottery scratch cards in books in Waterford City Library remains a mystery.

The Munster Express, which broke the story, has a frivolous list of ten "prime suspects". First on the list is the Taoiseach, Mr Bertie Ahern, "in an attempt to make up for not giving us a senior minister

Among other names listed are the singer, Daniel O'Donnell, the businessman, Mr Ben Dunne, and Dr Tony O'Reilly, who the paper says "is being blamed for everything else at the minute so we might as well pin this on him as well".

Meanwhile, the paper reports on an unresolved battle between male and female members of the Woodlands Health and Leisure Centre over whether a poster of the Bay watch star, Pamela Anderson, should be allowed hang in the foyer.

Tensions arose after the poster was removed following complaints by some female members that it was chauvinistic.

A proposal that the offensive poster be replaced by a shot of Princess Diana in her gym gear was rejected by the women, according to the paper.

"The ladies suggested that if the lads were feeling insecure, a picture of Mother Teresa of Calcutta would do the trick," it says. "We will keep our readers informed of any developments."

The Sligo Champion informs its readers there will be fewer Sunday Masses in parishes throughout the diocese of Elphin due to the shortage of priests.

Bishop Christopher Jones told the paper he was concerned that in some parishes priests were saying three or four Masses on Sundays, when two should be the maximum.

In a letter to parishioners read at Masses throughout the diocese, Bishop Jones said: "We believe the Lord continues to call young men and women to serve Him as priests or religious in our diocese, but we must pray that they will have the faith and generosity to respond to the call."

In Co Kerry, it is Germans who are in short supply this summer, according to the Kerryman. The paper says the county's tourism business is suffering due to the poor weather and the drop in German visitors as a result of that country's ailing economy.

The managing director of Kerry Holidays, Mr Peter Bellow, told the paper tourism business in the county was "just about holding its own".

"Overall it's just a bit flat," he said. "It's the same thing in Clare and Galway while there has been a boom in Dublin."

Visitors to Beagh Castle in Ballysteen, Co Limerick, have been warned to stand clear of the building as it is dangerous. This is due partly to the fact that the castle's corner stones have been "systematically" stolen, according to the Limerick Leader. The paper reports the finely chiselled stones from the castle "now form part of farmhouses and out-houses heaven- knows-where".

It says: "It is probable that such vandalism could not happen nowadays, but the sad fact remains that, in years gone by, people had no scruples in taking scarce building materials from wherever they could."