I have told this story on Mudcat before - but in case he remembers the occasion:

Hull in the 1960's and Packie stayed with us (four lads sharing a house)after doing the Bluebell. He came back to the house and we had a more than average stock of alcohol and soon PAckie and the rest of us were well stuck into it.

For half-an-hour Packie regaled us with stories of his smuggling days cattle especially which as I remember were taken backwards and forwards to pick up subsidies at different ages on each side of the Land Boundary (Northern Ireland/Eire)

At the end as he was finishing his last drink - he asked what we did for a living. We told him with great delight how we were all customs officers!!I suspect it was one of the few occasions he has spluttered.

Happy birthday Packie and many more.