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.

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.

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.

I found the kingdom of far far away, prince charming would not be so far.

Front offices are more interested in players that are far than players that are near.

Removing the finish line is a useful tactic if your goal is to just keep running the race.

Every man has his own destiny: the only imperative is to follow it, to accept it, no matter where it leads him.

As an individual who undertakes to live by borrowing, soon finds his original means devoured by interest, and next no one left to borrow from - so must it be with a government.

My little secret before I do every scene is I say a short little prayer.

I cannot understand why poetry is not taught at schools as a way of seeing, a quick, untiring path to essentials.

There is a tremendous strength that is growing in the world through sharing together, praying together, suffering together, and working together.

He whom the sages have been seeking in all these places is in our own hearts; the voice that you heard was right, says Vedanta, but the direction you gave to the voice was wrong.

I'm not that interested in people