“The fundamental human truth underpinning 'Ox Mountain Death Song' is t...” — Kevin Barry Quote

“The fundamental human truth underpinning 'Ox Mountain Death Song' is that men so very often turn into their fathers. The way that everything gets passed down.”

“In the early nineties, I was a cub reporter on a city newspaper in Limerick, and assigned to the courthouse there. One day, an old detective sergeant came and whispered to me in the press pit. He pointed out a young offender, a teenager who was up for stealing a car or something relatively minor, and said, 'See this kid? He'll kill.'”

“Very first thing in the morning, I spew some rough genius directly on to the laptop. Then I have coffee and rewrite for three hours.”

“He thought he saw some horses, too, and a clown, but it was the faces of all those dead raptors that really bothered him. And maybe that clown a little bit.”

“Once the game is over, the King and the pawn go back in the same box.”

“Erik, Erik! I saved your life! Remember? You were scentenced to death! But for me you would be dead by now.”