Are You Still Below?

'A very strong bond exists between those who have ever worked at the Marina. Even after retirement, resignation or, unfortunately, redundancy, Fordmen always enquired how things were going in the plant, how so-and-so was getting on, and in which department you were now working. The ubiquitous greeting, which I hear to this day, is Are you still below?A"' Denis McSweeney In 1917 Henry Ford selected Cork for the first Ford factory outside North America. An exciting development for Ireland's economy, the Cork plant became a central feature of Ireland's industrial history. In its time, Ford's Irish experiment saw the burning of Cork, the birth of a new state, Civil War, World War Two, the EEC and countless changes which impacted on his endeavour. The company remains embedded in Cork's popular memory, despite the closure of the plant in 1984. This is the unique and multi-faceted story of the Ford Marina plant, its economic and social impact. It is a vivid picture of the bustle and activity of huge numbers of men, material and noise, a community of workers A--with friendships, stories and camaraderie.
Interviews with former employees capture the ebb and flow of life on the marina while the evocative and previously-unpublished photographs of plant construction, vehicles in production and visiting dignitaries - politicians, churchmen and businessmen - complement this chronicle.