What’s The Irish Word For “Coyote”?

A Queens bar owner has pleaded not guilty to charges that he smuggled illegal immigrants into the country. If you assumed that Irish illegals simply overstayed their visas, the Queens Tribune explains how it’s done:

The owner of two bars in Woodside pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges that he played a role in an illegal immigrant smuggling ring that operated between Ireland, Canada and New York, according to officials at the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Phillip Reilly, who owns The Cuckoo’s Nest and The Starting Gate, both located in the Irish enclave of Woodside Avenue, had been indicted May 18 for allegedly encouraging three Irish nationals to enter the United States illegally.

The indictment charges that Reilly was involved with a smuggling operation based in Buffalo, where authorities believe Irish nationals were driven across the Canadian border. Through a network connected to a Buffalo restaurant named Campbell’s Pub, the immigrants were then dispersed to other U.S. cities such as New York, Boston and Philadelphia.

. . .

John Caffrey, a Woodside resident who has spoken to community members with knowledge of the situation, said Reilly argues that the press has exaggerated stories of him evading authorities, claiming merely to have been on holiday. Reilly also contends he never accepted any money for helping Irish immigrants, Caffrey said.

“Buffalo has been, for over 20 years, the entry route to the USA for Irish illegals,” Caffrey said. “A good many lived here in the Woodside and Sunnyside area.”

The Buffalo-based smuggling ring has been under investigation since 2004, when authorities charged the owner of Campbell’s Pub with aiding illegal Irish Immigrants. During that case, the owner, Bridget Campbell, pleaded guilty and admitted that between 30-50 Irish nationals had been smuggled into the country. Since then, seven people have pleaded guilty to crimes connected to the ring.

In Reilly’s case, the U.S. Attorney has handed down two separate indictments charging a total of nine people with either attempted entry or aiding and abetting illegal immigration. The three people Reilly is charged with helping — James Shiel, 26, Aiden Tully, 46, and Caroline McConville, 38 — were already arraigned earlier this month.

(Regarding the post title, I checked.)