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.

In documents released under the 30-year rule, here are the stories that have emerged from State papers.

Fifty-one years ago a bus floated on the Fota Road bringing workers to Verolme Cork Dockyard during a gale, since the road has deteriorated and is an eyesore with crumbling walls.

The fate of the Verolme Cork Dockyard was sealed more than a year before its closure in 1984 when the government accepted a report by a consultant that it was not commercially viable.

TEACUPS clicked at the cafe in Cork’s Crawford Art Gallery at a breakfast in honour of caretaker Joe Murphy, who is retiring after 25 years of service.