BANDON singer/songwriter Martin Leahy’s latest single, Mother Jones, is being released to coincide with the Spirit of Mother Jones Festival which takes place this week in the city.
The local artist is also celebrating another Irish heroine, Sinéad O’Connor, in a Bandon concert this weekend.
Speaking to The Southern Star Martin, who will perform at the Mother Jones festival on Saturday evening (July 26th) at her memorial plaque on John Redmond Street, said the song is a tribute to the great Mary Harris, who later became more famous as Mother Jones.
‘She was born in Cork in 1837 and then moves to the United States where she became a prominent union organiser and activist,’ said Martin.
‘As well as paying homage to her life, energy, spirit and sense of justice, the song also relates her activism to today’s turbulent world by quoting one of her many great sayings: ‘Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living.’
As well as playing all the instruments on the track, Martin also produced and recorded it his home studio in Bandon, and he is looking forward to performing his songs at the closing ceremony of the Spirit of Mother Jones Festival.
Other performers at this year’s festival include Choir Kalyna, The Mexican Community Choir, The Cork Singers’ Club, Jimmy Crowley, Eve Telford and Dee Power. There will also be talks and lectures at other venues throughout the city.
As a well-known activist Martin will again be heading to Dublin on Thursday, for the 166th occurence of his his weekly protest about the housing crisis, a theme which he covered in his previous release, Everyone Should Have A Home.
In what is proving to be a busy weekend for the singer, he will also perform at Bandon Folk Club on Friday July 25th for a special concert and Gaza fundraiser to remember Sinéad O’Connor on the second anniversary of her death.
Thank You For Hearing Me features Martin along with other singers and musicians including Victoria Keating, Low Mountain and Leen, who will cover some of the late singer’s most famous songs as well as playing some of their own songs at Bandon Town Hall, with the Bandon Folk Club.
