I could not flourish in the Hollywood system because the first thing spoken about is "What genre is it?" and "Who's it for?" It's a very strange question to me; it's for human beings.

We're all ordinary in a way. We can all be hurt. We can all be unbalanced. We all have feelings. Life can treat us harshly, even shockingly sometimes.

The play is a very simple idea really; someone needs some support and consolation, and she finds a place where she gets it.

I guess Im attracted and repelled by isolation. It scares me. And its why I tend to write about older characters, too, because for them the stakes are somewhat higher.

Directing is such a crucial part of the writing process; you start directing and you see what does not work. "Oh, God, what was I thinking?" and then you can rearrange it.

I love stories that frame that: This is what life is about - you don't have a clue.

I think Catholicism took root very quickly in Ireland because it's a very superstitious religion, the holy ghost, the holy spirit, it has a goddess, very visual, the music.

We know so little of the why, what the universe is, what infinity is. The veil around us is very fragile.

I just want the actors to put their faith in the language. Just let the words do the work.

I have a theory about Ireland, being at the edge of Europe. For 1,000 years, people didnt know what was beyond. But we thought about it - a lot. And that beyond became internalized in our psyche.

If I wasn't plagued by needing to write things, that would perhaps be a blessing.

Correction badly undertaken creates distance.

Anyone who takes the time to listen is either an old soul or a romantic one.

This wasn’t the Dark Ages, and she wasn’t living in a third world nation where women didn’t have any rights and were treated unequally.

Sweatpants painted to look like denim are the end of civilization. It drives me mental.

After scolding one's cat one looks into its face and is seized by the ugly suspicion that it understood every word. And has filed it for reference.

Of course I shall go astray often...for who does not make mistakes? But I cannot go far wrong for I have seen the truth.

You can't drive a Spike with a Tack Hammer

I tend to make low-budget movies but, yeah, I make more money than I ever thought I would make.

The judges of England have rarely been original thinkers or great jurists. Many have been craftsmen rather than creators.

I mix Indian instruments with Western instruments all the time.