15th Mother Jones festival to take place

Shandon’s historic quarter will come to life with music and song today as one of Cork city’s most uplifting celebrations gets underway.

From today, Thursday, until Saturday, the Spirit of Mother Jones Festival will once again stir the soul of Cork with another incredible lineup of acts under the inspiring theme of ‘Songs of Struggle, Songs of Hope’.

Kicking off the festivities in magnificent style at the Maldron Hotel at 1pm today, the Kalyna Ukrainian Community Choir makes a welcome return for their fourth consecutive year.

Winners of the Lord Mayor’s top community prize in 2024, this ensemble of Cork-based Ukrainian men and women has captured the hearts of Cork in recent years, despite the ongoing heartbreak of war in their homeland.

Later this evening, the legendary Cork Singers’ Club will take over from 9.30pm.

A festival fixture since day one in 2012, this unmissable unplugged gathering, led by Jim Walsh, keeps the pure tradition of unaccompanied singing alive and well.

The celebrations continue into Friday afternoon with the Club Ceoil Ballyphehane Ballad Group at the Maldron Hotel Bar at 1pm.

Led by Stephen O’Dea and Abbie Ní Loingsigh, this talented voluntary community group brings a joyous mix of guitars, banjos, fiddles, and tin whistles that will have toes tapping for hours.

Friday night at 9.30pm belongs to folk icon John Nyhan and friends. A powerhouse of Ireland's folk, country, and bluegrass revival, John’s encyclopaedic passion and stirring renditions of anti-war classics like ‘Universal Soldier’ are second to none.

He’ll also be introducing a brilliant southside act led by former Flogging Molly member David King, alongside Ed Lahiff and Adrian Kane, guaranteeing an evening of top-tier protest anthems.

Finally, on Saturday at 6.30pm, the festival honours its roots at the Mother Jones Plaque on John Redmond Street with a performance by Cork activist and songwriter, Martin Leahy.

Leahy recently ended a four year vigil at the gates of Dáil Éireann where he played his song, ‘Everyone Should Have a Home’, on loop every week in a powerful cry against housing inequality.

His song ‘Where We Lay our Bodies Down’ remains a fitting tribute to Ann Lovett, a 15 year old schoolgirl from Longford who died giving birth beside a grotto in 1984, while his track, ‘Snowflakes’, relates to online abuse and attacks.

Leahy has also been very active in highlighting the genocide in Gaza and regularly sings at the Palestinian marches in Cork city.

The festival is dedicated to the memory of Cork-born activist, Mary Harris, aka Mother Jones, and supports the causes she fought for.

A founding member of the Industrial Workers of the World union, she emigrated to the US as a child where she grew up to become a fearless advocate for the rights of the working class.

All of the festival’s events are free and all are welcome to attend.