I went to a very militantly Republican grammar school and, under its influence, began to revolt against the Establishment, on thesimple rule of thumb, highly satisfying to a ten-year-old, that Irish equals good, English equals bad.

I think my life will always be worth living, though I don't imagine it being very easy.

My function in life is not to be a politician in Parliament: it is to get something done.

We were born into an unjust system; we are not prepared to grow old in it.

... in Northern Ireland, if you don't have basic Christianity, rather than merely religion, all you get out of the experience of living is bitterness.

I went to a very militantly Republican grammar school and, under its influence, began to revolt against the Establishment, on thesimple rule of thumb, highly satisfying to a ten-year-old, that Irish equals good, English equals bad.

To gain that which is worth having, it may be necessary to lose everything else