Yesterday I posted a short tutorial on creating animated movies using aerial imagery from Google Maps. Today someone was kind enough to direct me towards Keith O’Faoláin's animated movie of the Irish border, Oh Border Where Art Thou.
One result of the UK's exit from the European Union could be the reintroduction of a hard border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Oh Border Where Art Thou is a great visualization of how difficult this task would be. The animated movie scrolls along the current border using Google Maps aerial imagery.
Watching the movie it is very apparent that the current border is very 'soft'. There are very few hard geographical barriers between the Republic and Northern Ireland. Mostly the border just follows roads and fields. If a hard border does have to be created it will prove very expensive and we will probably have to ask Mexico to pay for it.
You can explore the border further on the Irish Times' Explore the Border. This interactive map highlights some of the violent border incidents which occurred during the Troubles. The map also shows Google Street View images of each mapped crossing on the border. This allows you to explore the border for yourself and highlights how a hard border would not only be difficult to implement but would be quite an ugly scar on what is a very beautiful country.
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