Fears of "Brexit" are stark among the inhabitants of Blacklion in the Republic of Ireland and Belcoo in Northern Ireland, UK - two border villages that could be further separated if the United Kingdom opts to leave the European Union.

Only a gurgling stream separates the two villages, but Ireland's soft border could become a hard fact of life again if the United Kingdom leaves the European Union, the sovereignty-sharing bloc that has done much to blur the 95-year-old boundary.

Should a majority of British voters reject continued EU membership in the UK's June 23 referendum, Northern Ireland's nearly 500-kilometre (310-mile) frontier with the Irish Republic would become the only British land border with the 27-nation EU.

The closely intertwined residents of Belcoo in Northern Ireland and Blacklion barely 200 metres (218 yards) away in the republic would find themselves again in two diverging lands.

While some view that prospect as an opportunity, many more express dread at the thought.

Farmer Hugh Maguire, 60, whose Blacklion home rests barely inside the republic but whose nearby farm of sheep, cattle and hens lies in Northern Ireland, said he could not survive without EU subsidies.

Both communities are heavily dependent on EU funding. Agriculture is the top employer, and farms receive 329 euros (365 US dollars) per hectare of land from the EU's Single Farm Payment subsidy scheme in place since 2003, an annual payment exceeding 80,000 euros (90,000 US dollars) for Maguire's 241-hectare farm.

Few Northern Ireland farmers are confident that the British government, long a critic of EU farm subsidies, would maintain anything close to that level of state support.

Maguire estimates that EU payments provide two-thirds of his income while most of the rest requires open market access to livestock marts in the republic, where prices for spring lamb are stronger.

Behind the bar in 'Jack's Bar' in Belcoo in Northern Ireland, owner Paul Leonard and his son Stephen look likely to cancel each other's votes. The son favors staying in the EU, while the father is eyeing the exit.

Fears of "Brexit" are stark among the inhabitants of Blacklion in the Republic of Ireland and Belcoo in Northern Ireland, UK - two border villages that could be further separated if the United Kingdom opts to leave the European Union.

Only a gurgling stream separates the two villages, but Ireland's soft border could become a hard fact of life again if the United Kingdom leaves the European Union, the sovereignty-sharing bloc that has done much to blur the 95-year-old boundary.

Should a majority of British voters reject continued EU membership in the UK's June 23 referendum, Northern Ireland's nearly 500-kilometre (310-mile) frontier with the Irish Republic would become the only British land border with the 27-nation EU.

The closely intertwined residents of Belcoo in Northern Ireland and Blacklion barely 200 metres (218 yards) away in the republic would find themselves again in two diverging lands.

While some view that prospect as an opportunity, many more express dread at the thought.

Farmer Hugh Maguire, 60, whose Blacklion home rests barely inside the republic but whose nearby farm of sheep, cattle and hens lies in Northern Ireland, said he could not survive without EU subsidies.

Both communities are heavily dependent on EU funding. Agriculture is the top employer, and farms receive 329 euros (365 US dollars) per hectare of land from the EU's Single Farm Payment subsidy scheme in place since 2003, an annual payment exceeding 80,000 euros (90,000 US dollars) for Maguire's 241-hectare farm.

Few Northern Ireland farmers are confident that the British government, long a critic of EU farm subsidies, would maintain anything close to that level of state support.

Maguire estimates that EU payments provide two-thirds of his income while most of the rest requires open market access to livestock marts in the republic, where prices for spring lamb are stronger.

Behind the bar in 'Jack's Bar' in Belcoo in Northern Ireland, owner Paul Leonard and his son Stephen look likely to cancel each other's votes. The son favors staying in the EU, while the father is eyeing the exit.

AP TELEVISION

Blacklion, Republic of Ireland - 24 May 2016

1. Farmer Hugh Maguire with a calf and cows on pasture

2. Close of calf

3. Sheep running on pasture

4. Maguire, pointing to horizon UPSOUND (English): "Right around the borderline of the mountain, right the way on, you can see parts of Southern Ireland."

5. Sheep grazing

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Hugh Maguire, farmer:

"Probably 70 percent of my income is off it, 65 to 70 percent is from the EU (European Union). We couldn't survive only for the subsidies. There is no way we could survive, especially on this land that we're farming."

7. Maguire leaving farm through gate

AP TELEVISION

Belcoo, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom (UK) - 24 May 2016

8. Bridge leading from Belcoo, Northern Ireland (UK) to Blacklion, Republic of Ireland, with sign reading (English and Gaelic) "Welcome to County Cavan"

9. Close of sign reading (English and Gaelic) "Blacklion" with speed limit in kilometres per hour

10. Bridge connecting Belcoo, Northern Ireland (UK) and Blacklion, Republic of Ireland

AP TELEVISION

Blacklion, Republic of Ireland - 24 May 2016

11. Sign of "The Market House" tourist centre and gift shop

12. Tourist administrator Helena Corcoran talking to colleague in tourist centre

13. Leprechaun puppets for sale in tourist centre

14. SOUNDBITE (English) Helena Corcoran, tourist administrator and local resident:

"We've had so much tragedy and grief along the border area, that I just feel and hope that they will stay in. My fear is, I suppose, that this border will appear and will make everyday life difficult for everybody basically, because this is the main road from North to South, from Sligo, and we get a lot of traffic, a lot of tourists, and we've already suffered enough in this area, so we don't need to suffer anymore."

15. Mug for sale with images of Ireland and reading (English) "Greetings from Ireland"

AP TELEVISION

Blacklion, Republic of Ireland - 25 May 2016

16. Top shot of bridge connecting Blacklion, Republic of Ireland and Belcoo, Northern Ireland (UK)

17. SOUNDBITE (English) John Paul Feeley, Cavan County councilman:

"Europe, and the structural funding and the peace funding have been hugely important in terms of giving areas like this the leg-up that they need to reach or to get into step with the rest of the country and progress economically."

AP TELEVISION

Belcoo, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom (UK) - 25 May 2016

18. Sign reading (English) Belcoo, with speed limit in miles per hour

19. Bartender Stephen Leonard carrying board out of pub "Jack's Bar"

20. Stephen Leonard serving guests inside pub

21. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephen Leonard, bartender:

"Behind the bar you hear both sides of the story, and you hear now a lot of things like there'll be borders back up, the police will be back out stopping and just all stuff like that, and I've never witnessed it, and I wouldn't like to witness it from what you've heard years ago."

22. Stephen Leonard talking to his father Paul Leonard

23. SOUNDBITE (English) Paul Leonard, self-employed pub owner:

"It probably would possibly enhance the economy again, maybe we'd be freer to be able to do things without the regulation of Europe, you know, so it would. At the end of the day, before the UK market ever went down to the EU, they have always had a very strong economy, they were always well able to survive. They have an identity of their own."

24. Paul Leonard pouring beer and handing glass to his son UPSOUND (English): "Hey Stephen, that's for you."

25. Stephen Leonard drinking beer in pub

26. Pan from river to bridge between Blacklion, Republic of Ireland and Belcoo, Northern Ireland (UK)

As the United Kingdom and the European Union fought bitterly these past three years over the terms on which the island nation would leave the bloc, a dozen new Scotch Whisky distilleries opened in Scotland.

Despite concerns over the impact of Brexit on the scotch whisky industry – the EU is the largest single market for scotch whisky – Scottish distilleries seem unfazed by UK officially leaving the EU on Friday.

"Scottish whisky industry has proved itself to be a very robust industry," said David Brown, managing director at John Crabbie & Company, which recently revived a single malt distillery in Edinburgh.

"We will see what the politicians decide fairly soon we hope," he added. "But in the meantime, we are just getting on with producing scotch whisky because we know the demand globally, not just in Europe…is growing rapidly."

Scotland exported over 4 billion pounds (5.2 billion US dollars) worth of Scotch Whisky worldwide in 2018 according to the Scotch Whisky Association. The EU represents 30% of that market in value, followed by the United States which has 27%.

But demand in China, India and other markets in Asia is growing.

Added to this is a trend to drink less, but drink higher quality spirits. Single Malt scotch can be aged up to 50 years and sell for much more per bottle. In some economies drinking scotch whisky is also seen as a symbol status.

Still, being able to continue trading smoothly with geographically much closer European countries is vital to the industry.

"We have no desire to see tariffs being applied to say French wine and we would like to think that they have no desire to see tariffs applied to Scotch Whisky. So, as long as we all proceed on that basis, that should be fine," Brown said remaining positive about the future trading with the EU.

With Brexit out of the way whisky industry leaders have been pushing officials in the UK to renegotiate a 25% tariff imposed by the U.S. on EU luxury goods in October which slammed Scotch whisky. The move followed a dispute between the bloc and the Americans over subsidies given to Airbus and Boeing.

The heads of the Scotch Whisky Association and its American counterpart, the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States called onto the end of the tariffs on both sides of the Atlantic. In 2018, Scotland exported over 1 billion UK pounds in scotch whisky to the US.

"It is worrying," admitted Graham Blaikie, treasurer of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association.

"In Scotland, there are about 10-11,000 people employed in the whisky industry but a lot of the whisky distilleries are small communities tucked away in rural areas," he explained. "So with the politicians using it as political football, I hope they can put it at their feet and sort it and fix it."

Scotch whisky also attracts foreigners from across the globe. Around 2 million people visit the 130 Scottish distilleries annually, mostly tourists.

"I'd like to think that in this day and age with technology, people can cross the borders still very efficiently and without much hassle," said Blaikie who also owns a bar and grill serving 200 different whiskies.

"I certainly love it when tourists come in here."

Edinburgh – 30 January 2020

1. Various of distillation process to make scotch whisky

2. Distiller testing spirit

3. Close of spirit coming out of distillation process

4. Various of distiller working

5. Various of distillery

6. SOUNDBITE (English) David Brown, managing director at John Crabbie & Company, an Edinburgh-based scotch whisky company:

"Scottish whisky industry has proved itself to be a very robust industry, we go back a long time, making whisky is a long-term process and you have to plan a long way ahead. So, I think Scotch Whisky business will take all of this in its stride, we will see what the politicians decide fairly soon we hope. But in the meantime, we are just getting on with producing scotch whisky because we know the demand globally, not just in Europe, but globally, is enormous for scotch whisky and is growing rapidly."

7. Wide of distillery

8. SOUNDBITE (English) David Brown, managing director at John Crabbie & Company, an Edinburgh-based scotch whisky company:

"I think there are some concerns obviously when people start talking about tariffs, but I think a lot of common sense, certainly on the side of the producers both here and in Europe, that we hope will translate across to the politicians as well, that common sense will be applied. We have no desire to see tariffs being applied to say French wine and we would like to think that they have no desire to see tariffs applied to Scotch Whisky. So, as long as we all proceed on that basis, that should be fine."

9. Wide of Brown walking up to distillery

Whitecraig (outside Edinburgh) – 30 January 2020

10. Exterior of Mercat grill which serves 200 whiskies

11. Mid of Graham Blaikie, owner of Mercat grill and treasurer of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association pouring whisky at bar

12. Close of poster

13. Blaikie serving single malt whisky

14. Close of single malt whisky

15. Mid of various bottles

16. UPSOUND (English) "Here's a few for you to try, hopefully you'll enjoy something out of here, there is a whisky for everybody, we'll sip it normally, and then we'll just add a little bit of water without killing it. However, you can drink the whisky any way you want to do it, as long as you enjoy it and as long as you drink whisky. Slàinte! (Cheers in Scottish Gaelic)"

17. Wide of Blaikie working

18. Pull focus from Blaikie to map of Scotland

19. SOUNDBITE (English) Graham Blaikie, owner of Mercat grill and treasurer of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association:

"We'd hope that the government will start to negotiate with the United States to reduce the tariffs. It is worrying, in Scotland there are about 10-11,000 people employed in the whisky industry but a lot of the whisky distilleries are small communities tucked away in rural areas in Scotland and the actual communities are reliant on this. So with the politicians using it as political football, I hope they can put it at their feet and sort it and fix it."

20. Close of whisky

21. SOUNDBITE (English) Graham Blaikie, owner of Mercat grill and treasurer of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association:

"I'd like to think that in this day and age with technology, people can cross the borders still very efficiently and without much hassle. Again, we still like our holidays, we love the tourists in Scotland, I think the amount of tourist going to whisky distilleries is going up and up all the time. I certainly love it when tourists come in here. I just like to take the time out and explain to them about the whiskies and I'll let them try little bits."

22. Various of casks to be used for Scotch Whisky ageing