Chill wind adds to unease in area wracked by unemployment

‘SAVE Irish Jobs’ screams the Nice Treaty campaign poster on the ESB pole at the entrance to the IFI plant.

This cruel irony will remain a source of annoyance to the hundreds of workers whose fate has been utterly changed by yesterday's decision.

The chill wind coming off the harbour waters in Cobh last night merely added to the general feeling of unease and shock.

"This doesn't just affect the workers at IFI, there are many hundreds more in ancillary industries which will be hit also - from contract cleaners to those who serviced the plant, rail workers, harbour workers, caterers, the list is endless," said John Mansworth, a local publican who has worked tirelessly to promote Cobh for both tourism and industry.

Even the Irish Rail line from Cork to Cobh, an invaluable link for commuters, has in difficult times been financially buoyed by the freight business provided by the sprawling IFI plant.

Customers in Mansworth's bar, and others in the maritime town which has seen more than its share of closures, not least of which was the Irish Steel plant, drank quietly, slow to be drawn on speculation about the future.

Over a year ago Irish Steel closed with the loss of 407 jobs, not surprisingly the mood in Cobh after yesterday's latest bombshell was one of shellshock.

"This was a bolt out of the blue. People in the town believed that no decision would be made regarding the plant's future until the company had fully taken stock of the recent review of its operations," Mr Mansworth said.

"We have been absolutely shocked," said Michael McCormack, an executive member of the local Chamber of Commerce.

Serious efforts had been made by management, workers and the local Chamber to save the plant from the type of decision which had been reached yesterday by the board of IFI.

"I am shocked, I did not expect this to happen, I thought that we had won some time, at least six months when we all hoped the market would have improved," Mr McCormack said.

The streets around Cobh were practically deserted last night, giving the place the soulless feel of what is rapidly becoming an area wracked by unemployment.