daedalusTom Greer, A Modern Daedalus (1885)

Was he a bird?

Was he a plane?

No. He was literally a human drone.

“An Irish lad invents a one-man flying device which straps to the shoulders. The UK Government attempts to persuade him to use it against Ireland. Though he longs simply for peace, UK military action forces him onto the side of the revolutionaries, and a squadron of Irish fliers gains independence for their oppressed island home.” (Encyclopedia of SF)

Sibling of Daedalus (no relation) adds:

The hero was Jack O’Halloran and if you look at the cover those little things round his waist are bombs. He struck Dublin Castle from the air and sank a dreadnought in Dublin Bay.

‘A Modern Daedalus’ was a mediation on the desirability for home rule by peaceful means and based on the folktale of flying Derry boy Hudy McGuigan.

It was enormously popular  among boys at the time and may have influenced not only Joyce (Portrait) but also Michael Collins (guerrilla warfare) and, who knows, maybe even Marvel Comics…

Good times.

Tom Greer

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Update: Strike off (for the moment)

Except in tiny little circles on the pavement.

Members of SIPTU and NBRU trade unions at Ringsend bus station, Ringsend, Dublin, this afternoon on the third day of strike action by Dublin Bus drivers.

NBRU spokesperson Dermot O’Leary said: “Our members are willing to sit down and talk with management but it’s up to Government ministers to intervene.”

However…

Mr [Leo] Varadkar [Transport minister] said: “There was a time in the past when ministers would intervene personally and directly to solve the problem with taxpayers’ money. That’s not the way Ireland works any more, and it’s never going to work like that again.”

 

Labour Court seeking to arrange Dublin Bus talks (RTE)

Meanwhile,

90309548-1Members of the Irish Army preparing to ferry stranded passengers during a national bus strike in July, 1984.

(Sasko Lazarov/Eamon Farrell Photocall Ireland)

liquid nation

Have you got the fear?

You may not like this.

David C Lynch writes:

I’d like to thank you for posting my first short film Stay. The one with the two dogs and no budget.  This is the follow up. It carries far deeper meaning and examines the culture that we live in. Again it was made with no budget and just a passion to share a vision. It’s a short film that examines our drinking culture and how this culture is perceived by the rest of the world. What makes us ‘Irish’ and what keeps us Irish.

To which some might say.

belf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWnXkcRP7LM

Lord Mayor of Belfast, Sinn Féin councillor Máirtín Ó Muilleoir (in blue shirt) being jostled by loyalist protesters earlier as he visited Woodvale, North Belfast to open a park.

Bonus traditional loyalist vuvuzela added for effect.

Via BBC News NI

quiz Fancy a quiz?

Like see the Upper House reformed rather than abolished?

Neil Frazer writes:

You might remember last time you posted something about Future Matters some comments popped up with a bunch of dubious accusations about the source of our funding.

Truth is we don’t really have any funding yet and the answer to the question “who funds us?” is “whoever comes to the table quiz in the Duke, 9 Duke Street, Dublin, at 7 TONIGHT”, it’s €5 a head and we have some great prizes (above) to hand out.

 

Future Matters pub quiz (Facebook)

starwars 7

A new take on Patton Oswalt’s legendary proposed plot for the new Star Wars movie from an episode of Parks and Rec aired last April.

For comparison purposes, here’s an earlier, less polished but far more unhinged version by Australian animator Isaac Moore.

22words

 

Slim. Shady even.

Everyone remain calm.

Rumours of cancellations in the UK are just that, false rumours.

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