For a great part of the 20th century, the standard of living for Irish people was very low. as a result, emigration was one of the great scourges of Irish life. Many older Cork people will remember the boat loads of emigrants leaving from Penrose Quay on the 'Innisfallen'. So many Cork people emigrated to work in the Ford factory in Dagenham that it became known as 'Little Cork.' Many of the Dagenham emigrants came home every year for their holidays. They became known as the 'Dagenham Yanks' because of their fashionable clothes and the slight traces of English accents.