The Spirit of Mother Jones Festival took place online from Friday 27th November to Monday 30th November 2020.   Due to the Covid-19 pandemic in Ireland, our normal festival in late July early August at the Shandon Historic Quarter in Cork City was not possible.   As Mary Harris/Mother Jones had survived at least three pandemics in her own lifetime, we were absolutely determined as a committee to ensure that this our ninth annual festival would take place.   

Mother Jones died on 30th November 1930 so we commemorated the 90th Anniversary of her passing in November 2020, with a full four day programme of events.   It also incorporated a number of events associated with our participation in Cork Commemoration 1920-23  

We wish to acknowledge the support and assistance of many individuals, trade unions and organisations as well as Cork City Council. Our thanks goes especially to Eddie Noonan of Frameworks Films for his huge contribution towards both the filming of the talks and his work on the actual programme itself.

In addition Cork Community TV (www.corkcommunitytv.ie) kindly allowed us to broadcast the festival online.

Special thanks to University College Cork Community and Civic Engagement for organising the opening forum to discuss “The Dynamic Role of Labour Unions in the Wake of Covid-19 and the Safe-keeping of Front Line Workers “. We were delighted to receive the message of support from the President of Ireland for our front line workers which resonated with many people.  

The support of the Cork Singers’ Club was really appreciated.This extraordinary club has now participated at all nine festivals. To Jimmy Crowley and the Firkin Theatre we say thanks for the film of an evening with Jimmy.

To all our friends in America and the UK we say thank you for your support, for your generosity of spirit and for your solidarity. For all the speakers, contributors, actors, and indeed to past contributors who permitted extracts from their archived talks, films and plays to be shown, another big thank you.    

And finally to the many thousands of you who viewed some or all of our first virtual Spirit of Mother Jones 2020, we hoped you enjoyed the last weekend in November as we celebrated together the amazing life and remarkable resilience of Mother Jones.  

Onwards now to 2021.   

The Spirit of Mother Jones Festival 2020: Events

• Spirit of Mother Jones Festival Programme 2020
• Spirit of Mother Jones Award Winner 2020
• “And the World Turns Away” Interview with Peadar King (Author, Writer & Filmmaker)
• The Funeral of Mother Jones in Mount Olive
• From Ahawadda to Dail Eireann…..the amazing story of Labour Organiser, Sean Dunne
• Labour Unions, Frontline Workers & Covid-19
• Message by President Michael D. Higgins: To the ‘Spirit of Mother Jones Festival 2020’
• Mother Jones Returns to Shandon
• Mother Jones Visits Shandon before Christmas 1920
• “Ordinary Women in Extraordinary Times” by the Shandon Area History Group
• “United by the Struggle” the Story of Anne Scargill and Betty Cook
• Preliminary Announcement of Festival 2020: October 1st 2019