The Cork Mother Jones Committee wishes to announce that the 2025 Spirit of Mother Jones Festival will take place in and around the Shandon Historic Quarter over three days from Thursday, 24th July, until Saturday, 26th July.

According to James Nolan, spokesperson for the festival,

“We are delighted to confirm that our 14th Annual Spirit of Mother Jones Festival will once again be held in Shandon in 2025. This unique festival is dedicated to labour leader Mother Jones and has become an eagerly awaited festival and summer school in Cork each year.  It is entirely organised by a voluntary committee and attracts huge crowds to our community annually.

We appreciate the support of the Irish trade union movement and the Cork City Council, along with local businesses, which enables the festival to remain free and open to everyone who wishes to attend. We will announce participants and speakers over the next months, but we promise that our emphasis will, uniquely among summer schools, remain on heritage, history, trade union rights, social & climate justice and human rights issues, all matters close to the heart and rebel spirit of Cork-born Mary Harris.”

The Cork Mother Jones committee is asking people to suggest ideas for topics, possible speakers or issues they might wish to see at the 2025 festival.

Proposals should be based on material which is relevant, interesting and challenging and we promise to consider all suggestions.

They should be sent to motherjonescork@gmail.com. 

Further details can be found on www.motherjonescork.com