Spirit of Mother Jones Festival goes online to mark 90 years since Cork-born icon's passing

Once dubbed the 'most dangerous woman in America', the renowned human rights activist will be celebrated in her home town this weekend

Mary Harris, aka Mother Jones: a Cork woman who became an icon for the American working class. Pic: Courtesy of RTE.

While the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has brought live events to a halt and driven gigs and festivals to online spaces to reach people, one Cork-based weekender has quite literally no excuse for calling a halt to proceedings.

The Spirit of Mother Jones Festival, typically based in venues and spaces in and around Cork city's Shandon area, celebrates the life and legacy of the legendary Mary Harris, revered in the American trade union movement for her tireless work as organiser and IWW union co-founder under the moniker of Mother Jones, and her connection to her birthplace on the city's northside.

But for its ninth edition, the Cork Mother Jones Committee is marking the death of Mother Jones on November 30, 1930 with an online offering, available worldwide via streaming, and to Virgin Media TV users in Ireland via Cork Community TV.

The festival's staying power in the current circumstances is no coincidence, says spokesperson Jim Nolan: “Mother Jones survived at least three pandemics, so we felt we had to make a very special effort to have a festival in spite of lockdowns and Covid-19, to commemorate the anniversary of her death."

Mary Harris: The Cork girl who grew up to become "the most dangerous woman in America" - Mother Jones plaque, Shandon

The festival opens tomorrow afternoon, when in partnership with University College Cork's Civic & Community Engagement initiative, the role of frontline workers and trade unions during the Covid-19 pandemic will be discussed, including contributions from Phil Ní Shéaghdha of the INMO, and Anne Piggott of the ASTI. 

Throughout the weekend, several panel discussions and performances will shine a light on different aspects of Harris' wider legacy; including a screening of 'Tadhg Barry Remembered', a documentary by Frameworks Films, a theatrical performance by Richard T. Cooke of poetry-song Mother Jones - A True Cork Rebel, and a performance from Cork singer-songwriter Jimmy Crowley filmed at the Firkin Crane Theatre. 

Mary Harris: The Cork girl who grew up to become "the most dangerous woman in America" - Mother Jones celebrates her 100th birthday, 1930

Monday's proceedings will be devoted to a celebration of the life of Mary Harris in Cork, and Mother Jones in the United States of America, with a series of video tributes to include contributions from the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Joe Kavanagh.

Several talks from the Spirit of Mother Jones festival archives will also be shown throughout the weekend, including Margaret Aspinall, of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, and Cork woman Louise O’Keeffe, a tireless advocate for the rights of abuse victims in Ireland.

"Our Cork Mother Jones Committee voluntary members have put in huge work to bring this festival to everyone," adds Nolan, on the transition to an online-only format. "For the first time, it will literally be seen around the world, and we have received special recorded tributes from our friends in Chicago and Mount Olive."

• The Spirit of Mother Jones Festival will be live-streamed throughout the weekend on www.corkcommunitytv.ie and on Virgin Media TV, channel 803.
• The full festival programme, dates and times and streaming links will appear on www.motherjonescork.com or Facebook: MotherJonesCork. Repeats will be available on Cork Community TV, as per schedule on its site.