Irish construction workers built New York City. It's an old claim that is actually true.

For generations the old sod sent construction workers to the U.S. where they fanned out across the five boroughs and built the tunnels, highways, skyscrapers and bridges of Gotham.

But now that world and that time is almost as lost as Atlantis. Dramatic economic changes at home, biting visa restrictions on immigrants here, and greater access to a college education for young Irish people mean that a way of life that was passed on from father to son for over a century is being lost.

Read more: Colin Broderick’s “Emerald City” getting built with crowdfunding

In Emerald City writer, director and actor Colin Broderick records the loss of a life he knows like the back of his hard working hands. Having arrived here in the 1990's there's a Last of the Mohicans feeling to the enterprise, and his new film looks at what's lost and what's found.

Here's the exclusive trailer for the new film:

Emerald City's cinematographer is Eric Branco and the Producer is Brandon Taylor. Executive Producers are Brendan Coyle, Lisa Sullivan and Con McCormack. Edited by John Hyams.