Promo: The Men Who Built Britain

Re-published by Potter's Yard Press after several years out of print, and featuring a new specially commissioned jacket design, The Men Who Built Britain is a large-format book, measuring 250 X 210 mm., containing 272 pages and many original black & white illustrations. It is regarded as the definitive history of the Irish in British Construction.
The book retail's in hardback at £25/€26.99 or £15/E16.99 in paperback, excluding shipping. Order directly for a signed copy!

[@72mossy]

My Dad is a Tipp man. Worked digging tunnels under the roads of Cricklewood and Hendon in the 60s. He is a Congo Veteran as well. He came home in 70. He's 82 now

[@UltanCowley]

A great age for anyone with those occupations behind him. Definitely 'A Regimental Man' in both senses of the term (he'll know what I mean...)

[@aussiness74]

Fascinating, nice touch too with the song, but from what I see, this is about the men mostly from the 1950's onwards, not the 19th century. would that be right? Also, it mentions the places these men left, was that typical of those leaving shores for Scotland or England, building the railways?

[@gabrielcooke9763]

Was there no workers for the 6 counties never heard any mention of them

[@UltanCowley]

Have you read the book?

[@dannykelly7159]

Now it’s the Romainian’s.

[@rabby77777]

we should be thanking the english for giving us the jobs to feed our familys

[@rabby77777]

@@desmo9159 shit happens get over it

[@carlowman6669]

@@rabby77777 such class.

[@rabby77777]

@@carlowman6669 cheers people need to get on with their lives and stop blaming the english . Ffs irish people need to stop the hate.

[@noelbyrne8735]

What’s the bands name covering crooked jack?

[@UltanCowley]

The song was recorded by Joe Giltrap

[@Carsongaming-jj9gn]

What’s the song called at bringing

[@UltanCowley]

That song is Crooked Jack; similar sentiments to The Rambler from Clare...

[@ingles-napontadabarba.209]

Ultan Cowley, what a song! Who is singing?

[@salfordelvis7533]

that's my dad singing..his name was Tommy Maguire...

[@UltanCowley]

RIP indeed! Great men, all of them. Some vanished voices here:kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5zWeJuqedqYf6s

[@neverbeen2]

R.S.K or road side killers as my old man called them :)

[@ryanpatricklownds9622]

This song is about this generation

[@ryanpatricklownds9622]

Sorry - this song! Watch "The Rosheens - No Blacks, No Dogs, No Irish (Live)" on KZbin kzbin.info/www/bejne/qmnWXqRvn76mf68

[@UltanCowley]

Hi Contact me at [e-mail] for more info. Regards Ultan

[@liam.4454]

why dont they just use an excavator machine rather than dig?

[@houndofculann8876]

Never worked on a site, perhaps you shouldn't ask daft questions

[@keys639]

Because their were no machines we were the machines the Irish I worked with the lot of them from the elephant John to the kicker kelly I think the fellow in the photo is big Derrick an agent for lowery he gave ma the start in 1966 in Camden Town when I was 16 yrs old

[@tomthumb3500]

Such gobshite

[@cathal749]

Egat

[@angelakenny1215]

All the Irish men worked hard in England

[@UltanCowley]

The women too...

[@johnsmith-bx4rn]

Must have been a least one malingerer among them

[@frankie6954]

The Irish gangs of old, the toughest workers in the world. I've seen the clients now waiting at Cricklewood Corner to be picked up, they wouldn't have lasted 5 minutes in the old days. Sadly, Kilburn and Cricklewood are now changed forever. They were fantastic places when the Irish were there in the 50s, 60s, and 70s.

[@christopherreid7109]

i worked on the motor ways 1960 hard work but good money blue it all a lot men done the same English men were good to work with

[@elizabethsheffield6609]

at 1:02 those Irishmen have now been replaced by Eastern Europeans.

[@scoyle1750]

I am irish working in England making good money bricklaying bringing it home every fortnight and spending it in Ireland, England has been good to me but its a shite house no place for a irishman but I will take there money home when I am fit to 👍🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪

[@carlowman6669]

@@scoyle1750 still a shitehouse but one that is giving you a days work. Dont bite the hand that feeds you.

[@bernardpearce3478]

@@carlowman6669 Only one way to avoid that, you want him to lie? There's no denying the UK's gone t'fck, and it's gonna get worse unfortunately.

[@TheToolnut]

@@bernardpearce3478 Ireland is next, it'll be gone in two or three generations unless we get out of the satanic grip of the e.u.

[@dannykelly7159]

Wages haven’t gone up in 30 years in the construction industry because of the eu

[@TheToolnut]

If every working woman stayed at home in the morning every man's wage would double. That's why globalist corporation's are allied to feminism. Double the workforce and you half the price of labour.

[@patriot6251]

As you know Ultan from my email I can relate to all of this documentary , I learned a great deal from the boys of old which made me what I am today great crack as a young fella and great blokes which are no longer with us .

[@rayjones5771]

They should make a TV series like Auf Wedesen pet and call it begorrah be jesus.

[@davidquinn8706]

brilliant book, that good ive read it twice excellent work Ultan.

[@UltanCowley]

Thanks David...Have you heard the CD, Voices of the men who built Britain (2013)? Extracts from many of the original conversations recorded for the book, plus a selection of the classic 'navvy' songs - McAlpine's Fusiliers, Crooked Jack, Tunnel Tigers, etc. re-recorded for the CD by Joe Giltrap. See www.ultancowley.com Best Ultan

[@patrickj5256]

Great book, I worked with green McNicholas in the 1980s,actually a documentary was made around that time called .. The pick,the shovel and the open road,would like a copy if anyone could tell me where I could get one Pat

[@UltanCowley]

Hi Patrick Glad you liked TMWBB. That doc. on Macs is also on KZbin. Check this out for hearing it 'from the horse's mouth': kzbin.info/www/bejne/rqXXd2WJmdCVmJY

[@patrickj5256]

Thanks Ultan..

[@gaughantony]

You must have known my dad and brothers. Gaughan’s

[@trenpower2122]

My auld man came from Tipperary to England got on the demolition

[@americansarebeggers8472]

ultan, where can i buy this book ? could u please let me know. thanks

[@flipper2392]

2:45, The only man with a hard hat is probably only one who doesn't do any physical work. The Crown in Cricklewood was another "job center"

[@dvrn86]

No better men!

[@patsymcfadden1298]

Why can't they make those so called Refugees strart something. You hear 'Muppet Ryan' getting the Ralways going again. They need to put the tracks in first. Get the Chain Gang out, instead of Tax Payers money spent on their needs.😢😮

[@danbreen1916]

Haven't have hands to their arse

[@eugenemcnamee7873]

Was there no men fromn the north of Ireland that slaved in England or are u a free stater

[@UltanCowley]

It would be useful were you to answer your own question Eugene. We might all learn something. As a historian, I would be interested to know where in my published work there is evidence of bias or prejudice. The Journal of Construction History described The Men Who Built Britain as 'A study of outstanding quality and balance', while the Irish Independent referred to it as 'told with unblinking honesty'. Have you read the book?

[@UltanCowley]

americansarebeggars (name?): '35 yards was and is pure and utter bullsh!t.an average of 4 ft deep to lay the cables, u wouldnt do it with a mini digger, typical exageration, it was infact 10 yards after being broken up with a jack hammer ran off an perkins engine powered air compressor!' Depends very much on the period & the resources of the subbie. '35 yards (per day)' was a quote from Wexford subbie Billy O'Grady who worked out of Greater Manchester in the early post-war period. Noel O'Donnell, Rosmuc, quotes 10 yards by lunchtime with Murphy out of London & elsewhere in the '60s/'70s. Presumably the tarmac was indeed broken up with 'Paddy's motorbike' first but after that, he was on his own. He can be heard on my CD Voices of the men who built Britain. He lives in Galway, he's in his seventies, he's one of the most intelligent, decent, and honourable men its been my privilege to meet in my 6o-odd years, and anyone who wants to call him a liar is welcome to do so - to his face! I'd be happy to make the introductions...

[@angelakelly3246]

9?))4 is 4 *

[@scoyle1750]

4ft deep by 10 yards is 1.2m by 9.5 m let me tell you boys that's some hand digging I know as have dug footings for extensions where you can't get a digger in and go down about a metre deep and digging 9 linear metres at that depth is good days graft never would one man digg 35 yards never never never not even irish men and we can dig👍🇮🇪

[@UltanCowley]

That account was given to me by a Wexford subbie who was, indeed, given to exaggeration for the sake of a good story! Noel O'Donnell, from Rosmuc, came closer to the views expressed by yourself and others:kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5zWeJuqedqYf6s

[@EnglishRepublican48]

Tiochfaid ar la✊

[@brendangriffin5727]

the person who put this togather is not speaking from personal experience he never spent long round camden town hes talking shite cant even get the wagon colours right

[@Abcd-hr9ot]

I worked 4 d grey a slave for the quid.

[@UltanCowley]

Re. 'aussiness74': As stated in my book, The men who built Britain, 90% of the Railway Navvies were English, not Irish. However the book traces the genesis of the Irish presence on 19C. Public Works via the seasonal migrant agricultural labourers (Spailpins & Tattie Hokers) through to their mid-20C. domination of groundworks in British construction, etc. See my website for more. Regards,, Ultan

[@UltanCowley]

NOTE: THIS VIDEO IS COPYRIGHTED TO THE AUTHOR. TO AVOID LEGAL ACTION PLEASE DESIST FROM RE-TITLING OR OTHERWISE ALTERING IT. Ultan Cowley, December 11, 2012

[@petertraynor4891]

A time that will never come again i spent part of it building the M25 but I've done alright for myself most of the lads i grew up with in west london have done ok i think it was the talk from our parents about the poverty in ireland made us all want a better life for our generation.

[@SkillBuilder]

Hi Ultan We would love to use your promotion and publicise your book. Contact us if you think it is worthwhile. We will put a buy button up on the link.