The personal experience of a young man's move from rural Ireland to London in search of work.
'Horizon: The Other Man's Grass' examines the lives of Irish immigrants in Britain. This excerpt from the programme is narrated by Jim Fallon, a young Irish immigrant from County Longford who has moved to London in search of work and a better life.
It's a tremendously big city altogether.
Upon arriving in London, Jim Fallon made contact with the Irish Centre in Camden who helped him find a place to live. The next day, his search for work began. He found work in a bar after answering a notice in a window of an employment agency. The following Monday, he started work as a barman in The Nags Head. The job is also live-in with full keep so he lives over the pub.
Jim enjoys working in the bar where most of the customers are Irish. He starts work at 9.30 am and finishes close to midnight, with a break during the day.
Jim has a day and a half off each week but prefers to be working as he hasn't made any friends yet and finds his time off quite lonely.
I don't go too far in case I get lost 'cos I find it lonely.
Jim earns twelve pounds a week but after tax and insurance, he takes home nine pounds twelve.
The money is quite good. You wouldn't get all that at home.
Jim is happy with his move to London which is a new experience for him and plans to stay on for a while at least.
'Horizon: The Other Man’s Grass: A Change, A Challenge Or A Cheque' was broadcast on 26 March 1969.
