“To die, to be really dead, that must be glorious!”

“To die laughing must be the most glorious of all glorious deaths!”

“This time it is real — all must die, and where could mountaineer find a more glorious death!”

“The master says it's a glorious thing to die for the Faith and Dad says it's a glorious thing to die for Ireland and I wonder if there's anyone in the world who would like us to live. My brothers are dead and my sister is dead and I wonder if they died for Ireland or the Faith. Dad says they were too young to die for anything. Mam says it was disease and starvation and him never having a job. Dad says, Och, Angela, puts on his cap and goes for a long walk”

“Almost dead yesterday, maybe dead tomorrow, but alive, gloriously alive, today.”

“Isn’t it funny to think that this magnificent piece of matter is in a state of decay? Really, can you think of any other living thing that looks this glorious as it’s dying?”