I'd love to live in Ireland but I'd like to live as me not what someone thinks I am. People don't understand - I lived there before I was famous.

Judged by the law of England I know this crime entails upon me the penalty of death but the history of Ireland explains that crime and justifies it.

My mum's parents were from Ireland my dad's mum was American-Irish.

My dad was a labourer and my mum had exactly the same job as Noel Gallagher's mum - she was a dinner lady at our local school. Everyone comes over from Ireland and they get the same jobs.

My dad was a militant atheist or is a militant atheist. My mum was sort of bought up in a religious family because she was a Protestant from Ireland but wasn't especially religious.

Among the best traitors Ireland has ever had Mother Church ranks at the very top a massive obstacle in the path to equality and freedom. She has been a force for conservatism... to ward off threats to her own security and influence.

At home in Ireland there's a habit of avoidance an ironical attitude towards the authority figure.

That feeds anger and I mean when we went and at last thank heavens got towards peace in Northern Ireland we went for justice within Northern Ireland as well as using security well as well as a political settlement but surely that is the lesson.

You that would judge me do not judge alone this book or that come to this hallowed place where my friends' portraits hang and look thereon Ireland's history in their lineaments trace think where man's glory most begins and ends and say my glory was I had such friends.