The only politician anybody ever believed was Kennedy, anyway. Kennedy, Martin Luther King - civil rights always turns out in bloody war. Where's his dream now? When is a change going to come - as Sam Cooke said - for blacks in America? Anyone who does tell the truth gets a bullet in the head, y'know what I mean?

I play Irish popular music, yeah? Calling it folk is like putting it in a box. It's a living tradition, you know?

When I'm writing a song, it gives me more actual pleasure to hear someone else sing it than do it meself.

I'm not so much a rock star, d'ya know what I mean? I play Irish music. There's really no age when you stop playing Irish music. Even if I retired from playing onstage, I'd still be singing in pubs.

There have been many happy days and many unhappy ones in my life, but the most important was the day I met my missus, who is sometimes estranged and sometimes not. She got me off smack - although that's not the main reason it's the happiest moment.

My dad has no control over who works with me. Me, me and me alone has to take responsibility for anything.

Petitions are ridiculous.