Ian Knox at work

The above is Ian Knox working ahead of the last ever episode of Hearts and Minds. Here he is producing a piece for the If You Ask Me segment written and narrated by Malachi O'Doherty. Watch here and see screen grabs of the end result.

Other posts on Ian Knox. Slideshow of Ian Knox riding his Penny Farthing here. Ian Knox riding his Penny Farthing during the Giro 2014 here. Ian Knox and friends on their Penny Farthings for the Hume/Dunlop anniversary cycle here. Ian Knox speaking with the Detail here. Chatting with Michael Smiley here. My blog post on Ian Knox's cartoons of loyalists and republicans, here. Ian Knox and I drawing together in the Black Box, Belfast in 2013 here. Ian Knox and I drawing at McHugh's, Belfast here. My coverage of Ian Knox's December 2013 exhibition, 'Lifelines and Deadlines' here. A selection of photos of Ian Knox at work here. My article here on why an Ian Knox prize to encourage satire and political cartooning like the Herb Block foundation in America which rewards and encourages future talent. A notice about my joint exhibition with Ian Knox on Slugger O'Toole is here. Ian Knox talking about flags, the Union and loyalists here.

Newton Emerson - Ian Paisley, Ulster nationalist

Ahead of tonight's screening of Eamonn Mallie's documentary on Ian Paisley, it's worthwhile to look back at what Newton Emerson said of Paisley's Ulster nationalism on BBC Hearts and Minds in June 2007 here:

"In an interview with last Saturday's Irish News, he blamed the Troubles on British government betrayal, complained that English politicians know nothing about Irish politics, claimed that Dublin is more generous than London. Ian Paisley appears more matey with Bertie than Blair. Furthermore, he lauded his relationship with Bertie Ahern because, and I quote, "I am an Ulsterman and he is a southern Irishman. We know how to talk to one another." 

The simplest explanation for Paisley's ambivalent Britishness is that he is really an Ulster nationalist. He's certainly flirted with advocates of an independent Northern Ireland throughout his political career - but these flirtations have never gone further than fond kiss goodnight.

Let Me Tell You (with David McCann)

Little experiment with David McCann (@dmcbfs), building on the inimitable and esteemed If You Ask Me feature that ran for 16 years on BBC Hearts and Minds. Check out the cartoons featured in the video below. See the full compilation with audio from David McCann here. See the feature on Slugger O'Toole here.

Ian Knox in photos

I'm a huge, huge fan of Ian Knox (on UK Comic Wiki here). He is the esteemed local artist, political cartoonist and Northern Ireland treasure who has been cutting swathes into politicians for decades. He worked for comic strips in the 70's and 80's and in 1989 became editorial cartoonist at the Irish News, a position he has held ever since. Ian Knox is the one who calls out ignorance, apathy, corruption, fraud, prejudice, superstition wherever he sees it, in a way that simply no one else can. 

His strength is his vintage. With it comes wisdom and wit. But his vintage is also his weakness. With it comes a large degree of digital illiteracy. The end of this is that there is scant coverage of him or his works online. Though he does have a newsprint sales web portal here. 

With that in mind, this blog post is the first in a series of a larger effort that will hopefully raise the profile and presence of Ian Knox online. Immediately below if a self-portrait of Ian Knox, and further below is a selection of Ian Knox at work. I hope you enjoy.