Mother Jones Festival: Music and film highlights of event in honour of great Cork woman
Kaiulani Lee as Mother Jones in her one-woman play at the Firkin Crane in 2015: the source of a new docu-drama screening this year at the same venue.
The 12th annual Mother Jones Festival celebrates the life and legacy of activist and union organiser Mary Harris, known around the world as 'Mother Jones'.
Labelled at one time as 'America's most dangerous woman', Shandon-born Famine emigré Jones fought tirelessly for workers' rights and children's rights after the death of her husband and four sons in the early 1900s, urging workers to "Pray for the dead, and fight like hell for the living".
Marking the 175th anniversary of her death in 2012, a committee assembled to put on a festival of conversation and social justice around the unveiling of a limestone plaque in her honour in Shandon, where the event has been a free annual weekend festival ever since.
Alongside walks, lectures and conversations, there'll be plenty of free music and films to attend.
A documentary film about Scottish factory workers who refused to work on Chilean Air Force engines during the Pinochet dictatorship. Followed by Q&A with director Filipe Bustos Sierra on Zoom.
Cork’s favourite piper, Norman O'Rourke, will again lead in the Lord Mayor of Cork to formally open the 13th Spirit of Mother Jones Festival - plus, an appearance from Ukranian community choir Kalyna.
A documentary film adapted from Obie Award-winning actress Kaiulani Lee’s one-woman play “Can’t Scare Me”, performed at the Firkin Crane Theatre for Mother Jones Festival in July 2015.
This unique club of unaccompanied singers has performed at the opening night of the festival since the festival began in 2012. Jim Walsh is Fear An Ti for this year’s session and the night will hear songs of trade unions, workers’ lives, social justice, human rights and many other topics.
A documentary on local biodiversity in Mayfield, and a Q&A with director Dervla Baker.
Local folk and balladeer legend plays a lunchtime gig with his co-conspirator.
Live folk music from Cork; and bluegrass music inspired by Kentuckiana.
A film by Yvette Vanson, remembering the 40th anniversary year of the British Miners’ Strike.
The annual closing ceremony of the festival, including a toast to the 'dangerous woman' herself, and songs from 'Everyone Should Have a Home' singer Martin Leahy.
- For further information and announcements, visit motherjonescork.com
- Mother Jones Festival 2024 will also be broadcast on Cork Community Television; available on Virgin Media TV 803, and on corkcommunitytv.ie.
- All events free, with the support of the Irish trade union movement and Cork City Council.
- Attendance at each event is on a first come, first seated basis, so no need to book.
