I hope there will be great pleasure that we have got the beginnings of a new beginning begun.
- Seamus Mallon, SDLP deputy leader, talking up the hopes of a political settlement at his party's annual conference last weekend
This phase of negotiations may fall apart, it may not succeed. And whenever that does happen, then we simply go back to what we know best.
- Sinn Fein negotiator Francie Molloy, speaking at a republican function in south Armagh, on the Stormont talks
We are the group that brings death and destruction.
- Inscription on headbands worn by Islamic gunmen who shot dead more than 60 people, 57 of whom were foreign tourists, near Luxor, Egypt, last Monday
There were no security people here! This is a tourist region and you are telling me the police are two kilometres away. This is a joke of plan. You have failed.
- Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to Gen Hassan al-Alfi, his interior minister, shortly before Alfi resigned following the massacre
You are entitled to make profits on the sweat of your workers, but you are not entitled to make profit on the blood and lives of your workers. You are a disgrace to the construction industry and ought to be ashamed of yourself.
- High Court judge Mr Justice Kelly, to Zoe Developments controller Liam Carroll: a building worker died recently on one of the company's sites
On behalf of this side of the House I would like to say to Albert if he's out there, would he phone home.
- Pat Rabbitte, Democratic Left, on former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds, who has not turned up for Dail votes since losing the position of party candidate in the presidential election
I would have a view about it morally: the bottom line is that while the baby was conceived in rape it is still a baby. You cannot unrape the girl. You only solve one problem with abortion.
- Consultant psychiatrist at the Mater Hospital and well-known anti-abortion campaigner, Dr Patricia Casey, on the 13-year-old traveller rape victim
People assumed I was a lot stronger than I was because I had a big mouth and a shaved head. I acted tough to cover the vulnerability.
- Singer Sinead O'Connor
You would have needed a cattle prod to keep me awake during that rubbish.
- Anonymous Belgian reviewer on the Spice Girls' film
It drives my instructor mad when I cross my hands on the steering wheel when I'm turning, but dad does it all the time.
- Learner-driver Elliot Moss, son of the legendary Stirling Moss
Letting myself go was very healthy for me mentally. I've been too obsessed by fitness and megavitamins and body sculpting for too many years.
- Sylvester Stallone, who has taken to eating double portions at mealtime
It was Bull McCabe when you were on this side of the House, and it's Chicken George in Government.
- Pat Rabbitte to the Minister for Justice, John O`Donoghue, in Dail exchanges over the handling of the drug suspects court releases
Couples do not have to do something active, like kayaking together every weekend. It may mean just reading the newspaper together or watching TV. If their feet are touching occasionally, that's an important connection.
- Dr John Gottman, American professor of psychology, on how marriages succeed
We think that success will patch up some kind of hole in our lives. The truth is that it does not.
- Actor Brad Pitt