Republican News · Thursday 31 January 2002

We have the physical attacks with the blast bombs, petrol bombs and missiles raining down on us. We have social warfare in that we are prevented from gaining access to important resources and now we have music playing through the night.

Joe O'Donnell, Sinn Féin councillor for the Short Strand, on the latest loyalist tactic of blaring sectarian music until 4 am. The Irish News, Monday 10 June

When those come off then you go from being a buffoon to one of the world's greatest strategists.

A relieved Mick McCarthy on his late triple substitution that led to the equaliser against Germany. The Guardian, Wednesday 12 June

There was an enormous amount of lobbying. There were lobbies from farm groups, lobbies from other groups and from individuals.

Bertie Ahern on the influence powerful interest groups have on the Irish Government. The Irish Times, Monday 10 June

People here believe the death penalty should be invoked every time someone kills. The statistics are clear. For every 80 people that are killed in the US, just one gets the death penalty and 79 do not. How is this a deterrent? There are all sorts of contradictions. States with capital punishment have lower crime rates and the use of the death penalty is usually racially biased.

Fr John Mannion, a Galway priest who has been a minister on death row in Texas for nine years. The Irish Times, Monday 10 June

People feel that this attack has brought the pain right back to them again.

Marie Irvine, whose daughter Kathleen was one of the victims of the McGurks bar bomb, after their memorial was paint bombed by loyalists. The Irish News, Wednesday 12 June

When did it become fashionable to hand over the responsibility for your children to the state or to employers?

Barbara Johnston, PRO for the Catholic Schools Parents Association, calling for parents to be fined if they allow young children to work illegal hours during the holidays