Popular Cork festival back after pandemic hiatus

THE 2022 Spirit of Mother Jones Festival was launched at the beautiful old Butter Market Gardens underneath the famous Bells of Shandon.

Damien Boylan, the deputy lord mayor, officiated. Welcoming everyone, Mr Boylan said it was wonderful that the Spirit of Mother Jones festival was back in the community again after two years and he praised the resilience of the committee for enabling this famous Cork woman to continue to be celebrated.

On behalf of the committee, Ann Piggott made a presentation to Mr Boylan of a framed photograph of Cork’s northside, taken by Dylan Fitzgerald, and which is included in the 2022 programme.

In addition, a special ‘Friend of Mother Jones Award’ was presented to Cork’s own Mother Jones, Joan Goggin, for her long-standing assistance with the annual festival.

Joan will appear at the festival and will talk about her father’s friend, trade union leader Jim Larkin, who died 75 years ago this year.

Anne Twomey, of Shandon Area History Group, then spoke about the screening of the new documentary film Ordinary Women in Extraordinary Times, produced by Frameworks Films, which will be shown for the first time on Friday, July 29 at the festival.

The programme and poster for the 2022 festival were then introduced and all is now set for the eleventh festival, which will be held at the Maldron Hotel Shandon and the Dance Cork Firkin Crane from July 28 until July 30. All are welcome to attend.