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.
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.
Anne Twomey of the Shandon Area History Group will speak at the 2026 Spirit of Mother Jones Festival about the Cummins Sisters, a remarkable and fascinating Cork family.
The presentation will take place on Thursday 23rd July at 7.30 pm at the Dance Cork Firkin Crane.
Historian, Anne Twomey.
In particular. Anne will examine the lives of the five Cummins sisters who were daughters of William Edward Ashley Cummins (1858-1923) and Jane Constable Hall (1864-1944) who lived on Patrick’s Hill in Cork.
William Cummins was Professor of Medicine at University College Cork and a surgeon at Victoria Hospital.
It was a large Anglican family of five daughters, Geraldine, Mary, Iris, Jane and Phyllis and six sons Arthur, William, Robert, Harry, Nicholas and Fenton.
Left to Right: Dr. Mary Hearn, Dr. Jane Mullin, Geraldine Cummins, Phyllis Hayes, and Iris Cummins.
An unusual element is that in an era which is not noted for the involvement of women in 3rd level education and having independent careers, the five sisters achieved academic excellence through the encouragement especially of their father and the influence of their governess Winifred Holloway.
Their active participation in the sport of hockey at an international level, four out of the five gained international caps for Ireland, more than matched the achievement of their brothers on the rugby fields and was also unusual at the time. Their individual achievements in their private and professional lives in medicine, engineering, arts, as scientists and army officers in Cork and elsewhere are worthy of examination.
Iris Cummins holding the Munster Cup. Photo: UCC.
Anne Twomey will concentrate on the life stories and achievement of the five unique sisters and portray the wider picture of this unusual Cork family in the early years of the 20th century in Cork as they made their journey in a male dominated society through the turmoil and tragedy of World War 1.
Their story, their achievements and accomplishments which contributed to society in general and to an Ireland itself in a revolutionary era as it emerged from being a British colony on its troubled pathway towards creating a free and Independent state is worth telling.
How the women of this wealthy establishment Cork family which through education broke many glass ceilings and sought to actively transition into the new social and political fabric of society in many diverse ways remains largely untold.
A basic outline of the interests and lives five sisters follows:
Geraldine Dorothy Cummins (1890-1969) writer, suffragist, psychic and spiritualist. Geraldine co-founded the Munster Women’s Franchise League with Susanne Bouvier Day. Along with Susanne, she wrote and published plays, short stories and several religious books.
Geraldine Cummins.
She recalled being physically stoned by a hostile group of women in her native city in 1914 while campaigning for ‘Votes For Women’. Geraldine was briefly married to poet Austin Clarke. An Irish hockey international, she settled in London during World War Two and made occasional visits to Cork.
Mary Cummins Hearn, (1891-1969)
Mary, then a medical student, married Robert Hearn (1875-1952) in 1911. They had two children. Later he was appointed Bishop of Cork Cloyne and Ross (1938-1952). Mary returned to UCC to her medical studies, after which she was appointed an anesthetist in the Victoria hospital.
Dr.Mary Hearn, courtesy of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland.
Later as a gynecologist, Mary was renowned throughout Cork city as a family doctor for treating and curing all classes regardless of ability to pay. “Dr. Mary’s” astute medical knowledge of women and her kindness to patients became legendary. In 1924 she became the first female fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and continued to practice medicine in the city for almost 40 years. .
Also an Irish hockey international. The old graveyard surrounding the Bells of Shandon is named the Dr. Mary Hearn Park.
Iris Ashley Cummins (1894-1968)
Iris was the first female graduate in Engineering at University College Cork in 1915. After using her engineering skills in the British navy in World War 1 she returned to Ireland and established her own private business as a land surveyor. Later on in 1927 she joined the Irish Land Commission where she was appointed as the first female land surveyor. She lectured and wrote articles in engineering papers and always encouraged girls to enter the profession.
Iris Cummins at University College Cork.
Iris was an Irish hockey international from around 1914 to 1939 and was active in the administration of the game, including taking part in a trip to the United States where she met President Calvin Coolidge.in 1928. (Mother Jones also met President Coolidge earlier in 1924). On the 22nd February 2022, the Civil Engineering Building in UCC was named the Iris Ashley Cummins Building in her honour.
Aras Iris Ashley Cummins Building in University College Cork. Photo: J. Barimo.
Jane Grace Cummins (1899-1982)
Jane also studied at UCC and graduated with degrees in Medicine, Obstetrics and Surgery and joined the British Colonial Medical Service in Ghana, where she spent most of her life. Married in 1934 to David Miller, they had two children. She served as a squadron officer with the RAF Medical Service during the Second World War. After the war ended, she established child care clinics for the treatment of chest and TB illnesses.
Phyllis Aylmer Cummins (1907-1960)
Phyllis Aylmer Cummins graduated from UCC in 1929 with a Bachelor of Science and a Higher Diploma in Education. Later in 1931, she earned a Master of Science. She worked with the Metallurgy Atomic Research Station at Harwell in the UK.
Phyllis married Horace Shiel Hayes, son of Nathaniel Hayes in 1932.
There were also six sons in the family.
The Cork Mother Jones Committee acknowledges the research of Anne Twomey of the Shandon Area History Group.
Anne Twomey and Maeve Higgins of the Shandon Area History Group. Photo: Donoughmore Facebook.
The story of the Remarkable Cummins Sisters from Cork will be told in far more detail by Anne Twomey at the Dance Cork Firkin Crane on Thursday evening 23rd July at 7.30pm.
There is no charge, booking is not required but people are advised to come early as it is first come, first seated.
Topic: “Taking Action for the Planet: Life on the High Seas”
Grace O’Sullivan from Tramore, Co. Waterford was a frontline activist with Greenpeace for ten years and spent a further 10 years working with the organization in its headquarters in Amsterdam.
Grace O’Sullivan
Grace was a crew member onboard the Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior in Auckland, New Zealand when it was bombed by French Secret Service agents in 1985. Her colleague and friend, photographer Fernando Pereira was killed by the explosions. This act of terrorism did not deter Grace from continuing to campaign for social and environmental justice with Greenpeace, Oceana and more recently joining the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in 2025.
Grace O’Sullivan, standing alongside the Arctic Sunrise.
In 2016 Grace entered the Irish national political arena when she was elected to Seanad Eireann for 3 years and subsequently was elected to the European Parliament in 2019 as a Green Party MEP where she served as a forceful defender of human rights and the environment.
Grace O’Sullivan attempting to climb on board a Soviet nuclear warship.
Grace will reflect back on her years as an activist, giving personal insights into the challenges she faced and how she kept a steady focus on the issues that matter. She will describe her early life as an environmental activist when Greenpeace sought to raise public awareness among people across the world of the threats to their environment and the destruction of the natural world itself.
Grace O’Sullivan will speak at the Maldron Hotel, Shandon on Friday afternoon 24th July at 2.15pm. All are welcome.
The Cork Mother Jones Committee announces that the 2026 Spirit of Mother Jones Festival will be held in and around the Shandon Historic Quarter over three days and nights from Thursday 23rd July until Saturday 25th July.
Bernie and Jane Sanders toast Mother Jones at the plaque.
According to James Nolan, spokesperson for the festival,
“We are happy to confirm that our 15th Annual Spirit of Mother Jones Festival will once again take place in the Shandon Historic Quarter in 2026.This inspiring festival is dedicated to trade union leader and social justice advocate Mother Jones, who was born Mary Harris in Shandon in 1837 and who has become an international symbol for human rights across the world.
This festival celebrates her life and achievements and supports the causes she fought for as the 100th Anniversary of her death in 1930 approaches.
The 2025 Spirit of Mother Jones Award was presented to Arthur Leahy. Included in the photograph is Cork’s own Mother Jones, Joan Goggin.
Organised by a voluntary committee, it remains open and free to all and attracts large numbers of visitors to our community annually.
We were overjoyed that US Senator Bernie Sanders came to Shandon in May to visit the community and walk the streets and in the footsteps of Mary Harris.
We acknowledge the practical support and encouragement of the Irish trade union movement and the assistance of the Cork City Council which enables the festival to produce a varied and challenging programme of events each year.We will announce participants and speakers over the coming months.”
Mexican Community Dancers accompanied by trade union leader, Mick Lynch at the Dance Cork Firkin Theater during the 2025 Festival.
The Cork Mother Jones committee is again inviting people to suggest ideas for topics at next year’s festival. These should relate to labour and trade union matters, its heritage and history, social justice and human rights issues. Potential speakers might also contact the committee if they feel they would like to address a related topic at the festival and summer school itself. Material must be relevant, interesting and challenging as debate and discussion is encouraged. All suggestions are considered by the voluntary committee and the closing date is 14th February 2026.
