“This Land is Our Land: Confronting Extremism  and Reclaiming Democracy.”

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Tom Boland.

Tom Boland lectures in Sociology at University College Cork. He has two principal research interests:

Tom Boland. Lecturer in Sociology in University College Cork.

Firstly, the sociology of unemployment and welfare policy. For over a decade, he has conducted interviews with unemployed people on their experience of redundancy, being out of work and job seeking. Simultaneously, he conducts national and comparative research on welfare policy, particularly around activation, that is, the mixture of supports and pressure exerted by the state – and private companies – on unemployed citizens. Reflecting this research, he has produced three books, each with Dr. Ray Griffin (SETU); The Sociology of Unemployment (2015), The Reformation of Welfare (2021) and Workocracy (Forthcoming). He has given evidence to multiple parliamentary committees and featured frequently in newspapers and radio.

Secondly, the sociology of culture and critique. Since becoming involved with Occupy and anti-Austerity protests during the Great Financial Crash, he has been researching how critique is used in public disputes. At present, he is researching how critique is ‘co-opted’ by the right-wing; that is, how rhetorical moves, like ‘revealing the truth’ or ‘unmasking ideology’ are borrowed from the left and used for anti-left purposes. This research is the basis of a forthcoming book Taking Criticism, which builds on a more theoretical precursor The Spectacle of Critique (2019).

Tom will speak on the topic of  ‘This Land is Our Land; Confronting Extremism  and Reclaiming Democracy.’ as a member of a panel discussion with Gema Kloppe- Santamaria and John Donoghue. 

Moderator. John Barimo

Friday evening 24th july at 7.30 pm at the Maldron Hotel, Shandon.

All are welcome.

“Mother Jones and her Children” 

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a film by Frameworks Films and the Cork Mother Jones Committee. 

Release Date: July 2014. 

Runtime: 52 min.

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“Mother Jones and her Children” 

a film by Frameworks Films and the Cork Mother Jones Committee. 

Release Date: July 2014. 

Runtime: 52 min.

Mother Jones and her children by Frameworks Films. 2014.

Mother Jones and Her Children tells the story of Mary Harris (1837 – 1930) from Cork who went on to become “the most dangerous woman in America”. 

Starting with her early years in Cork, this documentary goes on to detail her life in America following the famine where she trained as a teacher and a seamstress, her marriage to a union man George Jones and the birth of her four children in Memphis. 

It tells of the tragedies which befell her. The loss of her four children and her husband to Yellow Fever in 1867 would have broken most people, yet as a 30 year old widow on her own, she kept on working and living. Even after her clothes business was burned in the Chicago Fire of 1871 she survived and began to immerse herself in the growing labour movement in America. 

She joined the “Knights of Labour”, and became active in that organisation which preceded the growth of the actual trade union movement. Many Irish joined trade unions and became active in the trade union structures, their vast contribution to the story of labour and its positive impact on the conditions of working people and on the quality of their lives remains largely untold and unrecognised in Ireland.   

Plaque by Mick Wilkins erected in Shandon in 2012 by the Cork Mother Jones Committee.

Mary Jones was unique in that she was one of the first female trade union organisers and her involvement in the struggles of the miners has become the stuff of Legend. She defended  the rights of children and workers and this is detailed in the documentary. Her organisation of the March of the Mill Children in 1903 contributed to the eventual banning of child labour from the mines, mills and factories of America.

Mother Jones became a national figure, a woman who was fearless, but was feared in the gorgeous mahogany furnished boardrooms of America. After decades of activism, she died on 30th November 1930 at the age of 93 and is buried in Mt Olive Union Cemetery in Illinois. 

Through interviews with leading experts on Mother Jones, we learn of her fearless and tireless campaign to organise workers at a time of severe labour strife and her international legacy today. 

This documentary will be shown at the Maldron Hotel, Shandon on Thursday 23rd July 2026 at 11:00 am.

It will be followed by a presentation by  Dr. Ed Lahiff on the life of Mother Jones as based on the book published by Professor Elliott J. Gorn in 2001 entitled Mother Jones: The Most Dangerous Woman In America. There will be time for a discussion afterwards.

Dr. Ed Lahiff.

Life in Cuba: An Address by Ambassador Bernardo Guanche Hernández

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The Cork Mother Jones Committee are honoured to announce a keynote presentation by His Excellency Bernardo Guanche Hernández, the Cuban Ambassador to Ireland. This special event will offer attendees a detailed insight into the social fabric, cultural wealth, and contemporary realities of daily life across the island of Cuba during this difficult period.

Ambassador Bernardo Guanche Hernandez

Moving beyond standard media representations, the Ambassador will discuss how local communities navigate daily challenges, maintain social cohesion, and sustain highly regarded public healthcare and education systems. The talk will address these achievements alongside the ongoing economic hardships intensified by the long-standing international trade blockade. This exploration of collective resilience, national sovereignty, and social equity mirrors the core values of international labour solidarity championed by Mary Harris “Mother Jones” herself.

Ambassador Guanche Hernández is a highly experienced diplomat who has officially represented Cuba in Dublin since early 2022. Throughout his tenure, he has traveled extensively to engage with civic organisations across Ireland, establishing strong connections with community groups and has engaged with the Global Solidarity Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. His work focuses on strengthening cultural links between the two islands and fostering a deeper public understanding of how geopolitical pressures affect ordinary citizens.

This keynote presentation will take place at The Maldron Hotel, Shandon, Cork, on Friday, 24th July 2026, commencing at 11:30 am. Admission to the session is entirely free of charge, first come, first seated. A warm welcome is extended to all members of the public, and there will be an opportunity for questions and discussion following the address.

The Battle of Irish Town: Mother Jones, the Ku Klux Klan and Catholic Working Class Resistance 1919-1923.

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Professor John Donoghue of Loyola University, Chicago will speak on the above topic on Saturday 25th July at 3:30 pm.

John Donoghue.

John Donoghue is an Associate Professor of History at Loyola University Chicago. His earlier work focused on English colonialism in early modern Ireland and the Atlantic World and resulted in the publication of three books, “Fire under the Ashes”: An Atlantic History of the English Revolution (University of Chicago Press, 2013); Building the Atlantic Empires: Unfree Labor and Imperial States in the Political Economy of Capitalism, 1500-1914 (Brill, 2016) [co-edited with Evelyn Jennings]; and The History of Rum (Audible Books, 2021). He has won numerous grants, awards and fellowships for his teaching and research and has lectured throughout Europe, Latin America, and the United States.

He is working on a new book entitled, American Insurrections: An Unruly History of White Christian Nationalism, 1600-2021. His talk for the Mother Jones Fest entitled, “The Battle of Irish Town: Mother Jones, the Ku Klux Klan, and Catholic Working-Class Resistance, 1919-1923,” is drawn from his new book project. An antifascist activist, he lives in Pittsburgh and Chicago with his wife Laura and is the father of two daughters, Meredith and Norah, who are now studying for their B.A. degrees at Loyola University Chicago.

All are welcome to attend the presentation and discussion.

Celebrating the Unbreakable Spirit of the Vita Cortex Workers

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The narrative of the historic sit-in at the Vita Cortex plant on the Kinsale Road stands as one of the most remarkable chapters in modern Irish labour history. What began on 16 December 2011 as a sudden, devastating announcement of immediate redundancies and denied severance packages transformed into a legendary 161-day campaign of peaceful resistance, dignity, and collective courage. Faced with an unjust corporate closure, a group of dedicated employees, some boasting nearly half a century of loyal service to the firm, refused to accept financial abandonment. Their collective choice to occupy the premises marked the beginning of an extraordinary journey of industrial unity that captured attention across Ireland and far beyond.

The sheer determination of the staff quickly turned a local dispute into an international symbol of workers’ rights. Strength and resilience within the plant were matched by a massive wave of public goodwill. Supporters from all over the world flooded the workers with messages of encouragement, financial aid, and material resources to sustain the occupation which started a week before Christmas.

President Michael D. Higgins receives the Vita Cortex workers at Aras An Uachtaran. Photo: President.ie.

This immense groundswell of public sentiment drew high-profile endorsements from notable figures across cultural, sporting, and political landscapes. The industrial site became a vibrant hub of community action. The workers received high-profile messages of solidarity from Hollywood star Cillian Murphy, who praised their refusal to accept an obvious injustice, and legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who personally called to voice his backing. World-renowned intellectual Noam Chomsky also backed the workers, while iconic singer-songwriter Christy Moore met with the employees and publicised their struggle. Boxing champion Katie Taylor reached out and met the workers, all of this endorsement uplifted their campaign at the time.  Letters of support, musical visits, and global advocacy proved that when ordinary workers stand together for baseline dignity, the entire world listens.

Vita Cortex workers celebrate settlement. Photo: RTE.

Through unwavering unity and disciplined organisation, the participants successfully secured their hard-earned redundancy payments, proving that collective mobilisation remains a highly effective tool against corporate neglect. Their historic stand fundamentally reshaped public awareness regarding employment rights and ethical commercial practices in Ireland.

Several years after their historic triumph, veterans of the dispute alongside key campaign supporters will take the stage at the upcoming festival. This celebration provides a vital opportunity to look back on a defining local success, honour the courage of those involved, and reaffirm the eternal relevance of solidarity in the modern era.

Jim Power, one of the leaders of the Vita Cortex sit in who will speak at the Panel Discussion.

This special commemorative panel discussion will take place at The Maldron Hotel, Shandon, Cork, on Saturday, 25th July 2026, commencing at 5:00 pm. Admission is free of charge, all members of the public are very welcome to attend on a first come, first seated basis. 

The Big Meeting

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A documentary about the Durham Miners’ Gala from Shut out the Light Films. Length 91 minutes.

Produced by Christie Allanson and Daniel Draper. Writer and Director Daniel Draper.

Th Big Meeting Documentary.

Every July on the second Saturday of the month, the northern English City of Durham is taken over by former miners and their families, old mining communities, trade union members, brass bands and visitors from many countries for an event known locally as the Big Meeting.  The colourful march through the narrow streets of the city by thousands of working class men and women carrying their lodge banners known as the Durham Gala is truly a spectacular and emotional sight.

The Durham Gala: Photo: J. Thomson

Tens of thousands attend the events each year celebrating their heritage, their allegiance to the labour movement and international solidarity in what is a huge manifestation of the power of organised labour.

This unique gathering of miners’ solidarity was first held on August 12th 1871 in Wharton Park in Durham.

“The following year it was estimated that between 50,000 and 70,000 marched through Durham and on to the racecourse at Old Elvet, much to the discomfort of the genteel residents of Durham City”

According to Dave Hopper, who for thirty one years was the General Secretary of the Durham Miners’ Association, a champion of the Gala and a regular visitor to Cork until his death in 2016.

Dave Hopper with the Durham Mother Jones Banner in Cork in 2015. Photo: J. Thomson.

Miners and their families and the mining communities have been marching the same route since. At one stage in 1915 membership of the Durham Miners’ Association reached 120,000, organised in 200 lodges, with its headquarters at the impressive Red Hill’s Miners Hall. Set in its own grounds it resembled a coal baron’s estate. At that time it represented the power and prosperity of the mining unions and even contained the unique Miners Parliament at which representatives of the lodges decided union policy.

Red Hills, The Headquarter of the Durham Miners Association.
The Miners Parliament at Red Hills.

The late Dave Temple of Red Hills in a well-researched article about the Easter Rising 1916 in the 2016 Gala programme mentions that a fiery James Larkin spoke at the Gala in 1914 where he denounced the “ lackadaisical and fossilised trade union leaders to the great delight of the crowds and much to the disapproval of the Durham miners’ leaders”.

Wall mural in Red Hills.

The Big Meeting documentary follows four participants at the Durham Gala to experience the colour and pageantry and the inspirational impact of the Durham Gala.

www.shutoutthelight.co.uk

GAZA

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A film by Garry Keane and Andrew McConnell.
90 mins long. Released 2019.

This powerful film shows a world which was seldom seen and which following the genocide does not exist now, it is a place of rubble. Gaza is a coastal strip along the Mediterranean which measures twenty five miles long by 6/7 miles wide. In 2019 it was home to nearly two million people.

Gaza

Following the attack by Hamas in October 2023, in which 1200 Israelis and foreign workers were killed, the subsequent relentless and brutal Israeli government attacks on Gazan civilians has claimed the lives of at least 75,000 of its children, women and men who have been killed amidst the silence from many politicians in Europe, who look the other way in spite of the objections of their own people and in spite of the Israeli attacks being described as genocide by the United Nations.


Directors, Keane and McConnell and their team have bequeathed the world a portrait of a unique place, everyday scenes with a vibrant community and people which has been largely obliterated. In spite of ongoing Israeli bombs landing in the busy streets, background images of Hamas and mass attacks on the border fences, the everyday “normal” lives of normal people continue to play out with their hopes and dreams. Their resilience, their humour, courage and compassion in attempting to survive the violence and do normal things has been captured for posterity in GAZA.

As one Gazan says “We simply want to live”.

The film allows Karma Khaial, a young 19 year old student, to tell us about her dreams of playing the cello and studying for a Masters in International Law in an uncertain world. Or Ahmed Abu Alqoraan who has a dream to own a big fishing boat and crew it with his many brothers and sisters to provide an income from his “catch” for his very large family. The reality he faced was the petty three mile fishing restriction imposed by the Israelis.

Gazan children.

GAZA allows the people to speak openly for themselves as they live day to day. By observing and listening to the mundane living of life, the viewer develops an empathy and appreciation for the decent people surviving in a land steeped in tragedy, bound by history and plagued by conflict over which they have no control. Yet one remembers the smiles, the banter, the brief everyday joys, the hopes and dream of the people and wonder how Karma and Ahmed and their neighbours, families and friends are today. This GAZA documentary remains as visual evidence of the genocide which is taking place.


GAZA will be shown on Friday evening 24th July at 5:00 pm.

Thanks to Wildcard Distribution.

“This Land is Our Land: Confronting Extremism and Reclaiming Democracy”

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Gema Kloppe-Santamaria is a Nicaraguan-born sociologist and historian whose work deals with questions of violence, gender, religion and the state in modern and contemporary Latin America.

She is currently a permanent Lecturer of Sociology at the University College Cork (UCC) and an Associate Research Professor of Latin American History at the George Washington University (GW).

Gema Kloppe-Santamaria

Prior to joining UCC and George Washington University, she was an Assistant Professor at Loyola University Chicago and at the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM). In 2017-2018, Gema was a Visiting Fellow at the Kellogg Institute for International Studies at the University of Notre Dame. Gema holds a PhD in Sociology and Historical Studies from the New School for Social Research.

Her book In the Vortex of Violence: Lynching, Extralegal Justice, and the State in Post-Revolutionary Mexico (University of California Press, 2020) examines the uncharted history of lynching during the formative decades of the post-revolutionary period (1930-1960).  Based on an array of previously untapped historical sources, the book contributes to globalize the history of lynching beyond the United States, while offering key insights into the cultural, historical, and political reasons behind the continuing presence of lynching in Latin America today. 

Gema was the lead editor of the books Violence and Crime in Latin America: Representations and Politics(University of Oklahoma Press, 2017) and Human Security and Chronic Violence in Mexico: New Perspectives and Proposals from Below (Editorial Porrúa, 2019). 

Over the last decade, I have authored several specialized reports for the Wilson Center, the Norwegian Peacebuilding Resource Center, the United Nations Development Program, and the International Peace Institute. I am also a collaborator and member of Noria Research’s Mexico & Central America Program.

Gema will contribute to a panel discussion entitled 

“This Land is Our Land: Confronting Extremism and Reclaiming Democracy”

on Friday evening 24th July at 7.30 at the Maldron Hotel, Shandon.

Former Trade Union Leader, Des Geraghty discusses the wider role of Trade Unions.

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The former President of the Services Industrial Professional and Technical Union (SIPTU), Des Geraghty will speak at the forthcoming Spirit of Mother Jones festival on Thursday 23rd July 2026.

Des Geraghty.

The title of the talk is “An Injury to One is the Concern of All”.

The title is a slogan of the US Knights of Labor, coined by Uriah S Stephens in 1869 and popularised by Irish trade union leader, Jim Larkin forms the basis for a talk by Des Geraghty at this year’s festival. The Knights, forerunners of the American trade union movement did not admit women until the 1880s when Mary Harris joined and where she formed a strong friendship with Terence Powderly, whose people were from Co Meath.

Terence Powerdly, leader of the Knights of Labor with his friend, Mother Jones.

Des Geraghty has spent a long and varied career immersed in the SIPTU Trade Union and in Left wing party politics in Ireland, yet he has also found time to be a writer, a singer and a musician. In 1984 he stood unsuccessfully for the Workers’ Party in the European elections, but became a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) in 1992 when he replaced Proinsias De Rossa who had became leader of the Democratic Left.

Des served as Vice-President of SIPTU 1997-1999, and then as President from 1999 to 2003.

Although very active in union politics, social partnership and labour disputes over many decades, Dublin born Liberties man, Des was active on many social justice issues, sang songs, played the flute and wrote a book about his friend Luke Kelly.

He is chairman of the Clé Club, a traditional music and song club at Liberty Hall.

Des Geraghty with Meath man,Jim O’Brien.at the Spirit of Mother Jones Festival 2025.
Des Geraghty singing at the Spirit of Mother Jones Festival 2025.

Des produced a documentary film about his hero James Connolly, “We Only Want the Earth” which was shown at the 2025 Spirit of Mother Jones Festival to a large audience. The documentary was written and directed by acclaimed film-maker Alan Gilsenan.

“We Only Want the Earth” challenged the viewers to look in a wider perspective at the icon that is James Connolly. It portrayed the ordinary human Connolly, which lies behind the martyr of 1916. All the while tracing the real spirit of the man and of the legacy and vision he left behind after his execution in 1916 in the form of present day activists campaigning for social and labour justice.

Des was quoted as saying at the time that he was “more interested in his life than in his death” and that certainly is achieved through this powerful documentary.  Mother Jones, a contemporary of Connolly in her time always referred to unions being “the family of labour”, since unions looked after communities and not just individuals. James Connolly would have endorsed this approach. 

Des Geraghty will speak at 5:00 pm on Thursday 23rd July at the Maldron Hotel Shandon. All are welcome. 

Left to Right: Des Geraghty, Singer Karan Casey, Mick Lynch and Ethel Buckley of SIPTU at Shandon July 2025.

Tadhg Hickey to Speak at the Spirit of Mother Jones Festival 2026.

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Tadhg Hickey will appear at the Spirit of Mother Jones Festival on Friday 24th July at 3.45 pm.

Tadhg Hickey. Photo courtesy of Tadhg Hickey.

He will discuss his experiences on the Global Sumud Flotilla to Gaza last year 

Born in Cork, Tadhg Hickey is a comedian, filmmaker, writer and political activist. He has had a long standing interest and commitment to the Palestinian people and during the coronavirus period in 2021 he created a fundraiser for the Aida Palestinian Refugee Camp which raised over 32 thousand euro.

In 2025, Tadhg participated in the Global Sumud Flotilla which attempted to reach Gaza then as now blockaded by Israel. He was arrested and detained by the Israeli authorities when their boat was boarded. 

He continues to challenge the hypocrisy of the West towards the Middle East through his comedy performances and in the release of short videos which forces one to question the accepted Western perspectives of the struggles of people who are not white. 

His biting political satire has amassed 100 million views and a global social media following. He wrote ‘The School’ for RTE and has toured extensively throughout Britain and Ireland. Currently his searing satire show NOOW written and performed with Nicole Jones is now out.

Tadhg will speak at the Spirit of Mother Jones Festival on Friday 24th July 2026 at 3.45 pm.

All are welcome. First come, first seated.