It is with great sadness that we announce the death of John Jefferies, a founding member of the Cork Mother Jones Committee. John passed away at his residence in Cobh on February 10th 2020.
John was a member of our committee since 2011 and managed the Spirit of Mother Jones Festival website and Facebook pages. His knowledge of history, heritage, politics and people was quite extraordinary and his meticulous research and understanding of public and community history was unsurpassed.
John in pensive mood at The Spirit of Mother Jones Festival 
Our friend John Jefferies 
John with Richard T. Cooke at The Spirit of Mother Jones Festival 
John Jefferies at the presentation of the 2017 Spirit of Mother Jones Award to Ken Fleming with the rest of the Cork Mother Jones Committee and Joe O’Flynn (General Secretary of SIPTU) 
John Jefferies with his friend and colleague Cllr. Ted Tynan 
John Jefferies at the Maldron Hotel 
John Jeffries sitting in the Moon Car from his book “Death on the Pier” 2017.
Like Mother Jones, from whom he took much inspiration, John spoke for the underdogs in society and supported social justice and human rights issues.
At the 2015 festival he highlighted the important role of Cobh born, union organiser, Jack Dowling. In 2017 he published his book Death on the Pier …the Cobh Pier Head Shooting and the Story of the Moon Car.
John’s contribution to the work of this committee laid the foundations for many festivals. He focused on the history and story of ordinary working people and the trade union movement.
On behalf of the Cork Mother Jones Committee we wish to express our sympathy to his family and friends.
The Spirit of Mother Jones Festival 
I am very sorry to hear of John’s death.
I am a regular attendee of the Mother Jones Festival.
In his book Death on the Pier….a greandfathjerof mine (Frank Busteed) was one of the alleged involved.
Brian O Donoghue
On Mon, 12 Oct 2020 at 21:46, The Spirit of Mother Jones Festival wrote:
> Admin posted: ” It is with great sadness that we announce the death of > John Jefferies, a founding member of the Cork Mother Jones Committee. John > passed away at his residence in Cobh on February 10th 2020. John was a > member of our committee since 2011 and man” >
I am a regular attendee of Mother Jones Festival. Very sorry to hear this sad news. John wrote a very well researched book in 2017-Death on the Pier., in which he threw new light on a famous incident from 1924. RIP