A Tribute to Dave Hopper

Posted on July 17, 2016 by Admin

On Saturday 9th July Dave Hopper presided over the 132nd Annual Durham Gala which was a triumph for the huge organisational powers of the Durham Miners’ Association. Upwards of 150,000 people attended one of the largest Gala’s in living memory, including thousands of young people to show their support for the leader of the British Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, who was introduced to the vast throng by Dave.

A few minutes later Jeremy Corbyn uttered the words which will resonate through the ages…

“There is no pressure on me. None whatsoever. The real pressure – real pressure – real pressure is when you don’t have enough money to feed your kids… when you don’t have a roof over your head… when you are wondering if you are going to be cared for… when you are wondering how you can survive… you are wondering how you are going to cope with the debts you’ve incurred…your wondering if your lovely employer is going to give you a call to give you a couple of hours work or not bother or change their mind when you are on the bus on the way to do that job… that is the REAL pressure in society.”
Jeremy Corbyn

Dave was delighted afterwards with Jeremy Corbyn’s speech which summed up for many what the Labour movement stands for and what Dave has stood for and fought for all his life. In a way this speech will now be forever associated with Dave Hopper and it is fitting that it should serve as a rallying call to the thousands of young people present. That will be Dave’s real legacy! Earlier at the Durham Miners’ Association HQ at Red Hill, Dave was in the chair also when Jeremy Corbyn addressed a packed meeting where he called for unity in Labour. Dave Hopper attended the 2014 and 2015 Spirit of Mother Jones Festival and was making plans to return in 2016 to speak on justice for the Orgreave miners at this years festival. Dave had committed his life to representing miners and the cause of labour and he will be missed in Cork where he made many friends during his visits. He was a real friend to Mother Jones. The Cork Mother Jones Committee offer our sympathy and condolences to his family – to Maritza, Gary and all Dave’s friends and all at the Durham Miners Association.

Sudden death of Dave Hopper, Chair of Durham Miners’ Gala

Posted on July 16, 2016 by Admin

The Cork Mother Jones Committee is shocked to learn this evening of the sudden death earlier today of Dave Hopper, Chair of the Durham Miners’ Gala and a great friend and supporter of our festival. Dave was due to visit Cork later this month for the 2016 Spirit of Mother Jones Festival and we were very much looking forward to his as always forthright and intelligent contribution. Just a week ago a member of Cork Mother Jones festival visited Durham for the annual Miners’ Gala and met with Davy who was also looking forward to his trip to Cork.

We are deeply saddened to hear of Davy’s passing. We are certain that he will be a huge loss to the trade union movement and to the struggle for social justice and decency in his own country and internationally. Davy as truly a man with the determination and spirit of Mother Jones. Our sympathy to his family and friends.

Davy Hopper beside the Daughters of Mother Jones banner at last year’s festival in Cork

Greenshine to play at The Spirit of Mother Jones Festival 2016.

Posted on July 16, 2016 by Admin

Greenshine to play at The Spirit of Mother Jones Festival 2016.

Maldron Hotel on Friday 29^th July, Tickets €5

GREENSHINE is a family trio comprising Noel Shine, Mary Greene and their daughter Ellie. Their material straddles the boundaries of contemporary, folk and roots and includes many self-penned songs. Their fast picking and close harmonies are a treat to the ear.

Noel is a multi-instrumentalist, turning his hand to guitar, bass, mandolin, bouzouki and traditional whistle and this musical dexterity had seen him much in demand as a session and band player by artists as diverse as The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem and funk and soul legends The Republic of Loose amongst many others.

Mary brings rhythm guitar to the mix and her voice is a wonderfully versatile instrument. She is much in demand for her recording session work and has added her talents to the albums of Christy Moore, John Spillane, Mick Hanly and Frances Black as well as cult psychedelic outfit Dr. Strangely Strange.

As a duo, Noel and Mary have released 3 critically acclaimed albums to date ~ The Land You Love the Best (placed no. 3 in The Irish Times Folk albums of the year of its release), Unspoken Lines (described as ‘The heart and soul of folk music, coming from a deeper well…,’ by John Spillane) while Mary’s solo, Sea of Hearts, earned an impressive 8 out of 10 in Hot Press.

Ellie Shine has grown up surrounded by music and has been performing in concerts and festivals since the age of 13 including an appearance with GREENSHINE for President Michael D. Higgins and his wife Sabina at The Abbey Theatre. Despite her tender years, Ellie has featured on 4 recordings to date. She has a huge interest in the songs of the Muskerry Gaeltacht and reached the All-Ireland final of Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann’s under 15 Sean-Nós Singing competition in her debut try-out. She enjoys singing songs of all genres and has a special place in her heart reserved for classic Beatles and country as well as good contemporary songwriting. She accompanies herself on the ukulele.

The music of Greenshine has been covered by several Irish music artists and has been used commercially by Follain Preserves in their ad campaigns, Carrie Crowley in her film Waterway and as signature tunes by several national radio station programmes.

Jimmy Crowley returns to The Spirit of Mother Jones Festival.

Posted on July 15, 2016 by Admin

Jimmy Crowley was born in Douglas in Cork. He began writing songs in the early 1970s and he has encouraged, sang and promoted older working class ballads and long lost songs from all over Cork. He ran the folk club at Douglas GAA club for many years. His band Stokers Lodge was known throughout Ireland.

Jimmy likes to talk and sing songs of Cork characters such as hunters and drag hunting, of harriers and the Shandon foot beagles and sportsmen such as bowler Mick Barry, and hurler Christy Ring, of stupendous deeds of valour, local rivalries and personalities, great and little events, and the real topics of conversation of the people.

His first album “The Boys of Fairhill” released in 1997, contained such classics as The Pool Song, Johnny Jump Up, Salonika, the Armoured Car and of course The Boys of Fairhill. This was followed by a second album “Camphouse Ballads” and “Some Things Never Change”. Later still “Uncorked” was released in 1998, while “The Coast of Malabar” appeared in 2000.

Jimmy Crowley book / album — “Songs from the Beautiful City”

Jimmy Crowley recently issued what many consider to be his finest work, with his book and songs “Songs from the Beautiful City… The Cork Urban Ballads”. Described by Jimmy himself as proclaiming “the true history of the people of Cork City through their only resource of expression: the humble ballad.”

Containing such classics as Marilyn Munroe (words by Paddy O’Driscoll), Cheer, Boys, Cheer (words by Helen O’Donovan) and The Old Skellig Lists (words by Teresa Mac Carthaigh), it should ensure the continuation of the humble ballad in Cork for a long time to come.

Visit www.jimmycrowley.com for details.

Jimmy has honoured the Cork Spirit of Mother Jones Festival each year to huge acclaim and we are delighted that he will do so again in 2016. Not to be missed!

Jimmy appears at the Maldron Hotel, Cork on Friday July 29th from 1pm to 2pm.

Luke Dineen to tell little-known story of one Ireland’s 1922 post office strike

Posted on July 14, 2016 by Admin

Luke Dineen has been a regular contributor to the Mother Jones summer school and we are delighted to welcome him back in 2016. He will address the significance of the Postal Strike of 1922 at the Maldron Hotel on Saturday 30^th July at 11.30.

JJ Walsh Countess Markievicz — J.J. Walsh with Countess Markievicz

”The Postal Strike of 1922 was the first major industrial dispute the new government of the Irish Free State faced and it occurred right in the middle of the Civil War.

When the dispute began, the government refused to concede the right of public servants to strike. The postal workers were condemned for taking industrial action against wage reductions because, as members of the public service, they enjoyed permanent, pensionable positions.

The government’s handling of the postal strike challenges the narrative that the establishment of the Free State represented the triumph of democracy. Rather, it shows an authoritarian government that was intolerant of dissent and willing to use harsh measures to suppress it.”

(Extract from Cathal Brennan in online article in The Irish Story).

The Cork postal workers had earlier voted to strike in February 1922 due to threatened pay cuts, but action was postponed as a result of union intervention whereby an independent commission was established to examine the issues in relation to pay.

The Postmaster General during the strike was James Joseph Walsh, known as J.J., a TD from Cork. Born near Bandon, Walsh was a former postal worker himself, an active trade unionist and member of Sinn Féin. He had taken part in the 1916 Rising in the GPO and received a ten year sentence.Described by Marcus De Burca author of The GAA…a History as “a dominating Cork personality”, he had also been Chairman (President) of the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). His Departmental Secretary in 1922 was P. S. O’Hegarty, another Corkman and a former post office worker in London who was friendly with Michael Collins.

The events during this strike in September 1922 and the government’s brutal reaction form a surprising if largely forgotten portrait of the new Irish State at the time and raise a fundamental question….…was the labour movement the biggest casualty of the Irish Civil War and its aftermath?

Luke Dineen will tell the story of the events surrounding this strike on Saturday morning 30^th July at 11.30 am. Luke is currently writing his PhD Thesis at University College Cork.

Opening Concert of 2016 Festival

Posted on July 11, 2016 by Admin

Richard T. Cooke — The inimitable Richard Cooke. Picture: Andy Jay

The Spirit of Mother Jones Festival 2016

Opening event.

Lunchtime Song & Music Concert

Maldron Hotel, Shandon.

Thursday, July 28th, 1-2pm

Concert with the best of Cork talent

Richard T. Cooke MC

Muddy Lee & Shandon Street Shawlies Choir.

Clann Chorcai members:

Aoife Delaney (Young Mother Jones, Singer, Actor)

Joan Goggin (Singer, Poet, Actor)

Eadaoin Delaney (Singer, Musician, Poet, Actor)

NICHE: Sing Your Heart Out Group members:

(singers) Rose Broderick, Eileen White, Nuala Panek, David McGrath,

John Lane,Michael Dineen

Frances O’ Sullivan (Traditional Singer, Cork Rokk Choir)

See you there

Admission Free

Press launch for the Spirit of Mother Jones Festival 2016

Posted on July 8, 2016 by Admin

Members of Cobh Animation Team. Picture: Andy Jay
Joan Goggin as “Mother Jones” Picture: Andy Jay

The formal press launch of this year’s Spirit of Mother Jones Festival was held last week at Cork’s Maldron Hotel. The festival begins on Thursday, 28th July and runs until Monday, 1st August 2016.

Here are some photos from last week’s very successful launch. Our sincere thanks to Martin Duggan, photographer for these images and for his ongoing support:

The Spirit of Mother Jones Festival

Shandon, Cork City, Ireland

Monthly Archives: July 2016