Srinivasan 1

Raman Srinivasan
Dr. Rex
Honors 1000
October 20, 2014
From Cork to Corktown
Liam Rourke wiped the sweat off his forehead as he twisted and fastened another wheel into its
groove on an incomplete car as it briefly stopped at his station. He was getting weary but he knew he
couldnt stop if he needed to make his salary for the day. He wasnt allowed any rest whatsoever until his
replacements arrival in this mundane but tiresome task. As he found himself finishing the final line of a
Catholic prayer for perseverance he remembered from the previous Sundays sermon at his regular
parish1, a replacement worker came over and beckoned him towards the rest area. As he ate his packed
meal of coddle and boxty bread made by some neighbors to commemorate the upcoming All Saints Day2
as well as his 25th birthday at the end of the week, Liam found himself reminiscing about his old life in
the city of Cork and everything that led up to his current job under Henry Ford. From meager beginnings
he had immigrated his way into the land of opportunity to work harder than ever and succeed not just for
his sake but that of his familys.
Liam was born in the town of Cork, Ireland in the year 1889 to his parents Patrick and Margaret.
He was the youngest of four and was preceded by Colin, William and Fergus. His education was much
more substantial than that of his brothers due to the passing of the Intermediate Education Act a few years
prior to his birth. This allowed him to get better schooling which allowed him to pick up English and
French to go along with his Gaelic. His learning still did not shelter him from the hardships faced by his
parents who were labor workers that lost their jobs around the time of his birth due to the intense influx of
Irish famers turned laborers into the cities from the more rural parts of the nation. Despite his familys

Rapple, Brendan A. "Irish Americans." Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America II (2000): Pg 945.
Encyclopedia Article.
2
Ibid 942

Srinivasan 2
financial struggles, Liam had a good, religious upbringing. His father taught him about how hard work
will always be rewarded and he followed that credo to the word. He also believed that many people
working towards a common goal will lead to great successes for everyone. However, even his education
and drive could not find him a decent job in an over populated and competitive city environment. That
was when his mother told him and his next oldest brother, Colin, about seeking a job in America. It only
made sense at the time as Ireland was on a steady and they wished to see their youngest sons settle in
America and lead better lives than them. Liam was inspired by this idea as he had read of several Irish
born or descended men like Miles M. OBrien, Franklin B. Gowen and Jim Brady who made a great mark
in America and was inspired by them.3 After coming to a decision and with the blessing of their parents,
the brothers decided to test their luck across the ocean in a vastly different environment.
It was only after making their way to New York after an arduous journey by ship that the brothers
realized what they were really getting themselves into. In the city as they were being recorded in Staten
Island, they witnessed and were subjugated to a myriad of reactions from those around them. First they
noticed how some of the American officials viewed them disdainfully as they stepped off the ship. Later
they found out that many Irish Americans had attained quite the violent and criminal image over the last
30 years or so from a kind guard in the building. The Draft Riots and the Irish criminal element proved
quite negative in creating an image for the entire ethnicity.4 This would later prove detrimental in their
attempts to find a job in the city prompting them to seek refuge in an Irish neighborhood where they
experienced a much warmer welcome. It was there that they also learned of the local distaste for the Jews
and Italians who immigrated to America and how they were all bullied by the Irish people in particular
who would knock them down and often beat them up. 5 For the first time, the brothers had to deal with the
fact that their ethnicity played a huge factor in peoples reactions and treatment of them. However, it
wasnt all complete disappointment for the brothers as they fortunately spent a month working for an Irish

"The Irish in America." Detroit Free Press (1858-1922): 2. Mar 17 1912. ProQuest. Web
"Irish Americans." Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life. Ed. Timothy L. Gall and Jeneen Hobby.
2nd ed. Vol. 2: Americas. Detroit: Gale, 2009. 300-303. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web.
5
Doctorow, E.L.Pg. 13 Ragtime. New York: Plume Books, 1975.
4

Srinivasan 3
run grocery store. There, Liam came to learn of the impact of the Irish immigrants in America. Liam read
some local newspapers that talked about how Irish labor was greatly beneficial to the nation and the
economy due to their contractual tendencies and strong willingness to work.6 Proud of this reputation that
their people had achieved, the brothers sought to find work in a labor filled area. When asked about one,
everyone game them the same response; Detroit.
After deciding to move to Detroit, the brothers sought to find an inexpensive way to get them
from New York to their intended city. They found one by working on a transport ship that agreed to
waive his fare for their services as ship hands. The brother happily agreed to the offer and soon found
themselves in Detroit. They first found a place to live the mainly Irish quarter of the city, Corktown like
many before them had done so.7 Not soon after their arrival, a call went out for laborers willing to work at
the Ford Automobile plant with the pay being five whole dollars a day. Such a lucrative opportunity could
not be missed at all and the two brothers to get a job and were fortunate to each get one. There were
several rules that went into this rewarding deal, namely that they had to follow a series of rules set by
Henry Ford himself. The first one that Liam remembers being odd was the stress placed upon the
knowledge of English and its importance to economic and more importantly, workplace success. 8 This
made Colin perfect his already growing English further by attending the classes on Tuesdays and Fridays.
What sounded even odder were the directions regarding the specific manner in which home life was to be
conducted in order to be considered acceptable by the standards of Ford. 9 Personally, Liam did not care
too much about these rule as he thought they were all helpful guidelines that were only fair considering
the work and the pay. What he really was happy with being present in the manual were the investment
tips regarding the profit sharing methods and the manners in which one could profit from them10. He
knew he would start saving up for the first plan as soon as he could to get ahead of his peers. Liam and

"Time to be Selfish." Detroit Free Press (1858-1922): 4. Mar 20 1912. ProQuest. Web.
Martelle, Scott. Pg. 85 Deroit : A Biography. Chicago: Chicago Print Press, 2012.
8
Ford, Henry. "Ford Manual: Helpful Hints for Emplyees." Detroit: Ford Motors, 1915. Print.
9
Ibid
10
Ibid
7

Srinivasan 4
Colin both were proud to work for Ford after they learned of his Irish heritage and strong work ethic
which both could connect with the teachings of their father.
Looking back on everything, Liam and Colin were quite happy in their current situations. Their
jobs were taxing, but very well worth the time and effort. They were even sending some of their money
back home to their proud, jubilant parents. Life in the city was somewhat similar to that of in Cork, but
the difference in the magnitude of the citys layout and its structures made a lot of difference. Walking
wasnt too bad considering the grid like manner the city was laid out in making streets and locations very
easy to find.11 It was initially intimidating as he saw skyscrapers like he had never seen before back home
mar the face of the city12 but as time wore on, he grew fond of these structures that inspired him to work
his way to success. Another facet of their life that was greatly beneficial to them was their neighborhood
which was full of Irish families who all looked out for each other through their parish.13 Their
neighborhood was not only the oldest but also the fastest growing one in the city. Many were commenting
that at the rate of the incoming immigrants and the growth of their children, within 2 decades a significant
portion of all of Detroits high class workers will be Irish as opposed to the current Anglo-Saxons. 14 He
felt great Irish pride as he saw many people in his community stay true to their roots and help one
another. At the same time, he felt American pride for the first time as he saw people from various walks
of life work together to make automobiles. This strong sense of community and financial security was a
great sign for Liam that his fathers words will one day prove themselves true as long as he kept up his
efforts. With this willpower and hope instilled within him, Liam happily got up and went back to his shift.

11

Rybczynski, Witold. City Life: Urban Expectations in a New World. Scribner, 1996.
Ibid
13
Rapple, Brendan A. "Irish Americans." Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America II (2000): Pg 945.
Encyclopedia Article.
14
Marger, Martin. "Ethnic Succession in Detroit Politics, 1900-1950." Polity April 1978: 340-361. Journal
12