A new wall mural of Mother Jones has been painted near the Widderling’s Lane entrance to Shandon on Popes Quay. Our thanks to artist Paddy D’Arcy and Liam Mullaney of Myo Cafe for honouring Mother Jones in her native place.

The mural depicts Mother Jones on the march in Trinidad, Colorado in late 1913 during a bitter miners strike. Leading a large number of women and children to confront State Governor Elias Ammons, Mother Jones marched into the hotel where Governor Ammons was staying to explain the reasons for the strike, but he refused to meet the women.

Mother Jones called on the Governor to come out saying 

“These women aren’t going to bite you”  

Later, she travelled to Washington to ask the Federal Government to investigate the shocking working conditions of the miners employed by the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company owned by the Rockefeller family. Jones headed to El Paso, Texas to urge Mexican workers not to strike break in Colorado.

When Mother Jones arrived back in Trinidad in early January 1914, she was arrested and although sick, she was held prisoner for several months, in appalling conditions. The women of Trinidad organised a march in support of Mother Jones. This was broken up by sabre wielding militia led by General Chase, which led to several injuries to the marchers.

“And then came Ludlow and the Nation Heard” (The Autobiography of Mother Jones).