Category Archives: Spirit of Mother Jones Festival 2023

Neighbour’s Children in Cork. Mick Lynch speaks about his Irish Roots and Mother Jones.

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Mother Jones (Joan Goggin) meeting with Mick Lynch, General Secretary of the RMT Union at the 2023 Spirit of Mother Jones Festival.

Mother Jones with Mick Lynch.

Joan’s dad, Bill Martin was a branch secretary of the ITGWU for several years. When Jim Larkin visited Cork, he usually called to the Martin family home on Bandon Road for a meal and a chat.

Just a short distance down Bandon Road near Warren’s Lane was the family home of the Lynch family. Mick Lynch’s dad, Jackie Lynch emigrated from Bandon Road to London at the beginning of the Second World War.

Mick’s mother was Ellen “Nellie” Morris, who left Crossmaglen in South Armagh to go to London during the Blitz. Her brother, Mickey still runs the farm in the area.

Labour history resonates among neighbour’s children.

Watch interview between Emma Bowell of Frameworks Films with Mick Lynch at the 2023 Spirit of Mother Jones Festival.

Updated 10th January 2025:

Mick Lynch has announced that he retire as General Secretary of the RMT Union in May 2025. After four years of General Secretary of the RMT and thirty years involved in the union, he has decided to step down. Mick became the public face of the trade union movement from 2022 to 2024 during the rail strikes in Britain, a period in which he articulated in a straight forward manner the socialist perspective of his working class members. In many interviews, he destroyed a series of right wing interviewers and media outlets inhabited by Tory commentators who sought to disparage his unionised train drivers who were on strike. The Cork Mother Jones Committee wishes Mick Lynch a happy retirement and congratulates him again on being selected to receive the Mother Jones Award for 2023.

Spirit of Mother Jones Festival 2023. Further Highlights.

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We include further photographs from the wonderful 2023 Spirit of Mother Jones Festival.

Eoghan Daltun with CMJC John Barimo.

Eoghan Daltun spoke about his recent book, “An Irish Atlantic Rainforest, A personal journey into the Magic of Rewilding,” which has become a best selling publication and something of a bible for many environmentalists seeking to do something practical to encourage bio diversity.

The Cork Singers’ Club had a very big turnout for their twelfth successive appearance at the opening night of the Spirit of Mother Jones Festival. Led by William Hammond, members sang a series of songs, which kept the bar at the Maldron singing for many hours.

The Cork Singers’ Club.
Karan Casey
Linda Quinlan
Jimmy Lynch
Mick Buckley
Gerry Murphy
Sherlie Scannell.
Ger Mullally and John Barimo officiating at A Sense of Wonder, a documentary on Rachel Carson by Kaiulani Lee.
Eadaoin and Aoife Delaney with Mother Jones.

Spirit of Mother Jones Festival 2023. Some Highlights.

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A look back at some of the many highlights of the 2023 Spirit of Mother Jones Festival which finished on Saturday evening July 29th at the Maldron Hotel, Shandon. If anybody has further photographs to share, please email them to motherjonescork@gmail.com.

Many people ask about the source of the wonderful portrait of Mother Jones. It was painted by American artist, Lindsay Hand (https://www.lindsayhand.com/), commissioned by the Consulate-General of Ireland in Chicago.

The original painting is on display in the consulate. We wish to thank artist Lindsay Hand and Irish Consul Kevin Byrne for their permission to use and Rosemary Feuer for all her assistance.

Ann Piggott of the CMJC presents Mick Lynch with a portrait of Mother Jones.
Happy Historians, Liz Gillis and Anne Twomey outside the Dance Cork Firkin Crane.
Mick Lynch speaking at the 2023 Spirit of Mother Jones Festival.
A Full House.

Large numbers attended most of the events during the three days of the Festival. In many instances, we had an international audience present. We had excellent debates, discussions and participation in the proceedings, and the Cork Mother Jones Committee is very grateful for their active and respectful role in the question and answer sessions. Our special thanks to all speakers, musicians, singers and everyone else who gave us their time during the festival.

The Wonderful Cork Ukrainian Choir in full voice.
Our thanks to Mary Crilly and Angela Flynn for a very interesting discussion.
Johnny Nyhan leading the tribute to Victor Jara.

Everyone Should have a Home.

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Cork Singer Songwriter, Martin Leahy brought the curtain down on the Spirit of Mother Jones Festival 2023.

Singer-songwriter Martin Leahy.

Martin travelled to Dublin every week for a year, to stand close to the Dáíl and sing his song, “Everyone Should Have a Home”.

Playing before an enormous crowd on John Redmond Street on Saturday evening, Martin sang an emotional Everyone Should Have a Home under the Mother Jones Plaque. Earlier he sang tributes to Sinead O’Connor and Ann Lovett.

Some of the large crowd at the Spirit of Mother Jones Festival.

This was followed by the traditional whiskey toast to Mother Jones at the plaque.

Members of the Cork Mother Jones Committee.

Earlier we had talks from historians, Luke Dineen and Pat Murphy, who was brought up in Ballyphehane and is now Chairperson of the Nottingham Irish Centre. 

Pat Murphy
Luke Dineen

It is fair to say that those watching the film Secrets From Putamayo won’t forget it for a long time. It may go a long ways towards ensuring that the work of Roger Casement is appreciated more.   

An early start saw historian Peter Foynes take people on a fascinating trip around the historic Shandon district. Maggie O’Neill conducted a large Feminist walking tour around the north side of the City. 

Maggie O’Neill
Peter Foynes at the Mother Jones plaque.

It has been a wonderful festival. 

Mother Jones with Mick Lynch.
Mick Lynch at the Cork Butter Market.
Crowd at the Spirit of Mother Jones Festival.

Festival Programme Saturday 29th July 2023.

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9:30 a.m.      Peter Foynes historic walk. (meet at Maldron)

11:00 a.m.    Secrets from Putamayo.

2:00 p.m      Luke Dineen.

3:15 p.m.     Pat Murphy

4:30 p.m.     Maggie O’Neill.

6:00 p.m.     Mother Jones Toast at Plaque, Martin Leahy.

The Cork Ukrainian Choir Sings with the Lord Mayor of Cork.

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The Cork Ukrainian Choir yesterday opened the Spirit of Mother Jones Festival with a stunning musical performance. The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr. Kieran McCarthy accompanied them on “Danny Boy”. It was a wonderful occasion from a fantastic choir.

Historians Liz Gillis and Anne Twomey.
Some of the Cork Singers Club at the Maldron Hotel.

Mick Lynch Receives the 2023 Spirit of Mother Jones Award.

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The 2023 Spirit of Mother Jones Award was presented yesterday to Mick Lynch by James Nolan at the Spirit of Mother Jones Festival in Shandon in front of a capacity at the Dance Cork Firkin Crane.

Mick Lynch at the Butter Market in Shandon with the Spirit of Mother Jones Award.
Jim Nolan presenting the award to Mick Lynch.
A packed auditorium.
Mick Lynch with the Cork Mother Jones Committee.
Mick Lynch at Shandon.

Festival Programme Friday 28th July 2023

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10:30 a.m.     Niamh Guiry.

11:30 a.m.     Eoghan Daltun.

1:00 p.m.       Jimmy Crowley & Eve Telford.

2:30 p.m.       A Sense of Wonder (Rachel Carson) 

4:15 p.m.       Mother Jones and Her Children.

5: 15 p.m.     Mother Jones: America’s Most Dangerous Woman.

7:00 p.m.      Mary Crilly  (at Dance Cork Firkin Crane)

9:00 p.m.      Tribute to Victor Jara.

9:30 p.m.      Songs of Protest: The Folk Music Revival.

Festival Programme Thursday 27th July 2023

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11:00 a.m.   Salt of the Earth. (1954) Film – Maldron Hotel.

1:00 p.m.     Official Opening by the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr. Kieran McCarthy and the Cork Ukrainian Choir. Maldron Hotel.

2:30 p.m.     Mavis Ramazani – Maldron Hotel.

4.00 p.m.     Mick Lynch – Dance Cork Firkin Crane.

7:15 p.m.     Anne Twomey & Liz Gillis – Dance Cork Firkin Crane

9:30 p.m.    The Cork Singers’ Club. – Maldron Hotel.

Spirit of Mother Jones Award for 2023 to Mick Lynch and the RMT

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The Cork Mother Jones Committee is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2023 Spirit of Mother Jones Award.

It has been awarded to UK Trade Union leader Mick Lynch and the RMT.

The award will be presented to Mr. Lynch at a meeting at the Dance Cork Firkin Crane on Thursday 27th July at 4:00 pm as part of the Spirit of Mother Jones Festival.

Mick Lynch with strong Cork roots was appointed General Secretary of the National Union of Railway, Transport and Marine workers, (RMT) in 2021 and has led the fight to defend his members’ working conditions and pay as well as trying to protect the public and community services.

Mick Lynch and his wife Mary at the Durham Miners Gala in 2022. Courtesy of Chronicle Live.

James Nolan spokesperson for the Cork Mother Jones Committee stated

“We believe that Mick Lynch by his direct action, solid analysis, straight talking and plain speaking in defence of workers and union rights, has won him widespread support and respect among working people.

His precise fact based arguments and his eloquence in his media performances in the face of Tory Party opposition in the UK in relation to the support for public services such as the Railways, the National Health Service and public services, has ensured admiration and support from among many people as they recognise the validity of his comments.

With Cork roots in the city centre, Mick Lynch continues to represent the fighting rebel spirit and tradition of his fellow Cork emigrant, Mary Harris, known as Mother Jones, who in earlier generations fought for social and trade union justice. 

The Cork Mother Jones Committee is proud to honour the Cork diaspora which leads the fight for the living”

This is the eleventh Spirit of Mother Jones award, the last British trade union leader to receive it was the late Dave Hopper of the Durham Miners Association who did so in 2016.

Previous recipients include Gareth Peirce, Ken Fleming, Mary Manning, Fr Peter Mc Verry, Louise O’Keeffe, Antoinette Keegan, Catherine Coffey O’Brien, Ann O’Gorman, Maureen Considine and Don O’Leary.