All Communication Involves Faith; Indeed, Some Linguisticians

We Face A Conflict Between Civilisation And Culture, Which Used To Be On The Same Side. Civilisation Means Rational Reflection, Material Wellbeing, Individual Autonomy And Ironic Self-doubt; Culture Means A Form Of Life That Is Customary, Collective, Passionate, Spontaneous, Unreflective And Arational.

It Is Language Which Speaks In Literature, In All Its Swarming 'polysemic' Plurality, Not The Author Himself.

Irish Fiction Is Full Of Secrets, Guilty Pasts, Divided Identities. It Is No Wonder That There Is Such A Rich Tradition Of Gothic Writing In A Nation So Haunted By History.

Language Always Pre-exists Us: It Is Always Already 'in Place', Waiting To Assign Us Our Places Within It.

Works Of Art Cannot Save Us. They Can Simply Render Us More Sensitive To What Needs To Be Repaired.