I have often heard it said that the Irish are too ready to forgive. It is a noble failing.

O, the red rose may be fair, And the lily statelier; But my shamrock, one in three Takes the very heart of me!

The life in which nothing happens goes the fastest, because it has no landmarks.

The kind need kindness most of all.

The trouble with the Irish question always has been that it was an English question.

There is an Irish way of paying compliments as though they were irresistible truths which makes what would otherwise be an impertinence delightful.

Often our bad moments are self-propelled ... And the drama is almost exclusively within our heads and hearts.

I have always believed that hair is a very sure index of character.

It's a strange thing now how people will know they're dying themselves when no one else could suspect anything wrong at all with them.

It is a horrible demoralizing thing to be a lawyer. You look for such low motives in everyone and everything.

Drawbacks are good when you are on holiday. If the holiday were too good you might not want to go home again.

With every circumstance, there is grace for change.

The face and body may be perfect, but if a twisted gene or a malformed egg can produce physical monsters, may not the same process produce a malformed soul?

I cannot live under pressures from patrons, let alone paint.

I try to take everyone's head off, to tell the truth.

A spirit of restlessness and resistance can never wait, but one who believes he is loved with an everlasting love, and knows that underneath are the everlasting arms, will find strength and peace.

Everything in this life has a purpose, there are no mistakes, no coincidences.

There aren't that many people walking about who are a total class stereotype.

I was a traditional teacher for a time, but my students would ride the energy. I wanted to free people not give them a placebo.

The act of philosophizing involves the character of the philosopher.

It's also true, however, that having conquered the regional writer ghetto, I am now intent on conquering the nationalist writer ghetto and moving out into the world more.