The Ford Motor Company wouldn’t be where it is today without the hard work of Cork employees, the firm’s executive chairman told its pensioners in City Hall.

Monday will mark a significant milestone in the history of Ford, and indeed in the industrial life of this country.

As the recessionary ‘80s gave way to the Celtic Tiger era, Irish consumers began to spend again and Ford, retaining its Cork links, launched a raft of models which became industry leaders.

After 67 years as an anchor employer at the Marina, a perfect storm of mounting losses, a hard recession, and the ending of tariffs on car assembly, meant the Irish plant had to close in 1984.

Sporty, stylish, elegant — even a tad brash — the Ford Capri was the defining vehicle of the 1970’s and 1980’s.

From Model Ts to muscle cars — a fleet of historic Ford vehicles will lead Cork’s St Patrick’s Day parade as the company marks its 100-year connection to the city.

On April 17, 1917, a new Irish company was registered which would change forever the industrial and economic landscape of Cork City in particular.

Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

2017 marks Ford Ireland's centenary and Keith Bryan has taken us back 100 years to look through a selection of his Fordson tractors.

Ford has announced it is to hold a number of events throughout this year to mark the centenary of Henry Ford registering his factory in Cork city in 1917.

In just a few months it will be exactly 100 years since Henry Ford registered his company, Henry Ford & Sons in Ireland.

This year marks a milestone in the life of North Cork dealership, Cavanaghs of Charleville, as it celebrates 50 years as a Ford main dealer.

Take a seat, belt up and prepare yourself for a real blast as the new Ford ST200 hits the road. Declan Colley looks at the many wow specifications

The Ford Fiesta - the ‘Feshty’ as it is known throughout rural Ireland - is celebrating 40 years on our roads, having first being introduced in 1976, Declan Colley

Ciarán McMahon, chairman and managing director of Ford Ireland, has been named Business Person of the Month by Newstalk’s Down to Business.

The number of new car registrations passed the 100,000 mark over the first six months of the year — representing almost a quarter more sales than the same period last year.

Ford has just announced details of its all-new Ford Edge ‘upscale’ SUV which, the company promises, will deliver premium levels of comfort, sophisticated driver assistance features, and class-leading dynamics to greater numbers of customers in Europe’s best-selling vehicle segment.

Ireland soccer fans will be flooding France this June and transport will most likely be via a variety of sources.

The Cork Film Festival is in its 60th year. Ahead of its launch next Friday, Marjorie Brennan pays tribute to the country’s longest-running film festival.

Ford has also revealed two hot Fiestas, both of which come with the 125bhp version of the acclaimed 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine, as well as stiffer suspension, new gear ratios, and specially tuned steering. All standard.

Declan Colley

Cavanaghs of Charleville has again been singled out for special attention by Ford Ireland when its aftersales and service division scooped the Ford Chairman’s Award for Customer Satisfaction.

Ford Ireland has announced a One4All voucher promotion in conjunction with the company’s Ford BlueService offering.

The Defence Forces have unveiled a secret weapon ahead of a very special operation in Cork later this month.

As a motoring hack — or, indeed, a critic of any kind — it is always a tad worrying when you are complimented for being too kind to any given subject. In my case, it gets very worrying indeed when car company executives pally-up to tell you that you’ve really been too kind to their brand in recent times.

The then minister for industry, trade, commerce, and tourism John Bruton was annoyed that two other ministers were to accompany him to the US in April 1984 to meet representatives of car manufacturer Ford in a bid to salvage some jobs for its plant in Cork.

The all-new Ford Mondeo has been awarded the maximum five-star safety rating by independent crash-test authority, Euro NCAP.

Kearys is celebrating the launch of Kearys’ Motorworld, the new state-of-the-art Nissan dealership on the Carrigrohane Road, and formerly the premises of Windsor Motors.

Launched earlier this year, Ford’s innovative new Ford Motorcraft Service offer has already helped to reduce the cost of servicing for hundreds of motorists whose Ford cars are five years old or more.

As the January new car market draws near, Ford has announced an exciting range of offers, plus a new deal that will give owners of vehicles up to 10 years old the opportunity to ‘swap’ their car for a new 151 Ford model and receive a special one-off bonus of €1,500.

Eddie Murphy, chairman and managing director of Ford Ireland for the past 14 years, is to step down at the end of the year.

HONDA CR-V TOPS: The annual Which? Car Survey has named the Honda CR-V the most reliable 4x4/SUV up to three years old; with zero reported breakdowns, average annual repair costs of less than €15 and an overall reliability score of 98.5% over a 12 month period.

Ford Ireland has launched a ‘Motorcraft 5+ Service’ offer which is targeted at owners of Fords which are five years or older.

Audi is extending its range of fuel-efficient, low-emission ‘ultra’ models to the A3 car line. Equipped with the 150 bhp 1.4 TFSI engine, we are told they combine high performance with exemplary economy.

THE continuing upward trend in car sales across Ireland has continued.

The unexpected death of former Ford Ireland chairman and managing director Eddie Nolan last weekend has sent shockwaves through the motor industry all over Ireland.

Eddie Nolan, one of the best known figures in the Irish motoring industry and the early force behind the Ford Cork Week sailing regatta, died at the weekend.

Pre-tax profits at the Irish arm of motor giant Henry Ford last year decreased by 44% as revenues plunged by more than €50m.

Up to 170 new Garda vehicles are to hit the roads by Christmas in a move Justice Minister Alan Shatter hopes will lessen fears over cutbacks in the service.

The Government has moved to ease fears of a resource crisis in An Garda Síochána in the wake of station closures by ordering 170 vehicles for the force.

The Irish arm of motor giant Henry Ford last year returned to pre-tax profit after revenues increased by 10.5% to €192m.

FROM now on, Cork will be as fast in dispensing breaking news as Times Square and Piccadilly Circus.

A GREENED-IN hideaway site comes with the compact cottage, Woodley Lodge.