Quotes of the Year

From the dock? Put me in the dock, that's where they want me, in the dock. Oh Jesus, oh Mother of God.

From the dock? Put me in the dock, that's where they want me, in the dock. Oh Jesus, oh Mother of God.

- James Gogarty, after Garret Cooney for JMSE complained about his "long, rambling speeches from the dock"

From the witness box.

- Mr Cooney correcting himself

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Without wishing to sound facetious, I find the monosyllabic illiteracy of the Pop Culture and the polysyllabic semi-literacy of the New University Jargon almost equally objectionable.

- Brian Fallon, former chief critic of The Irish Times

It's only once in a lifetime that you have a millennium.

- John Ussher, Irish Taxi Drivers' Federation president, whose members are seeking treble fares for the millennium

Does impeachment mean they're going to turn him into a peach? If so - can I eat him?

- Singer Sinead O'Connor on President Clinton's trial

Contrary to the claim of certain kinds of feminism, women above all are dishonoured.

- Dr Desmond Connell, Archbishop of Dublin, on contraception

Mr [Frank] Callanan , with the greatest respect sir, is beginning to jump up and down with the frequency one would normally associate with the bloomers of members of the oldest profession.

- Colm Allen SC at the Flood tribunal

I've a lot of respect for the dogs in the street. They're customers of mine from time to time.

- Albert Reynolds, pet-food producer and former Taoiseach, asked during the DIRT inquiry if he accepted even the "dogs in the street" knew about the extent of bogus accounts

I've seen some of the people that worked for the tobacco companies up close and I found them an insincere shower of bastards . . . I would say to any young man or woman, leave the dreaded tobacco out of your life.

- Alex Higgins, the former world snooker champion, who has cancer

Don't shoot me in the face.

- The last words of murdered journalist Veronica Guerin, which a State witness in the murder trial, Julian Clohessy, alleges he was told by the man accused of killing her

Don't fool yourself that it is about the issue of decommissioning. It's about more than that. It's because they don't want to see a Fenian in government.

- Sinn Fein senior negotiator, Martin McGuinness, of "rejectionist" elements within unionism

You must remember we are trying to run a business as well as waste our time here, er, co-operate with the tribunal.

- The builder Michael Bailey in evidence to the Flood tribunal before its adjournment

A common slut.

- Ballinamore, Co Leitrim, priest Father James Duffy, of Sonia O'Sullivan, whose baby, Ciara, was born out of wedlock

It's such a pity she is not going. I would have been quite happy to pack her bags.

- DUP Assembly member Iris Robinson, of Mo Mowlam, who retained her job as Northern Secretary in July