It was a sign of growing up, when the dark made no more difference to you than the day.

She's a pot-of-tea-before-I-say-boo-to-you woman. There's always a pile of warm teabags in the sink when I come down, like what a horse would leave behind.

Schools don't really allow failure and yet it's part of any endeavour, not just writing.

Some of the people who look the most normal are probably the maddest people trying to look normal.

The problem with being Irish... is having 'Riverdance' on your back. It's a burden at times.

When you grow up on an island, what matters is how you stand to the sea.

I don't work to any commissions. I do what I want to do.