My function in life is not to be a politician in Parliament: it is to get something done. Bernadette Devlin More Quotes by Bernadette Devlin More Quotes From Bernadette Devlin Yesterday I dared to struggle. Today I dare to win. Bernadette Devlin encouraging courage inspirational ... in Northern Ireland, if you don't have basic Christianity, rather than merely religion, all you get out of the experience of living is bitterness. Bernadette Devlin bitterness christianity religion We were born into an unjust system; we are not prepared to grow old in it. Bernadette Devlin unjust born grows To gain that which is worth having, it may be necessary to lose everything else Bernadette Devlin women hippie inspirational Irish Catholics are more interested in the rosary beads than in the rosary. Bernadette Devlin beads rosary catholic 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. Bernadette Devlin equality church mother It did not seem to me that prejudice, poverty, discrimination, repression and racism were confined to the North of Ireland. I could see them everywhere I spoke and still cannot comprehend the mentality that argues that I should have pretended not to see them, because it wasn't my business. Bernadette Devlin prejudice racism should-have Should an anthropologist or a sociologist be looking for a bizarre society to study, I would suggest he come to Ulster. It is one of Europe's oddest countries. Here, in the middle of the twentieth century, with modern technology transforming everybody's lives, you find a medieval mentality that is being dragged painfully into the eighteenth century by some forward-looking people. Bernadette Devlin technology europe country It wasn't long before people discovered the final horrors of letting an urchin into Parliament. Bernadette Devlin letting-go long people I went to a very militantly Republican grammar school and, under its influence, began to revolt against the Establishment, on thesimple rule of thumb, highly satisfying to a ten-year-old, that Irish equals good, English equals bad. Bernadette Devlin thumbs years school There are no illegitimate children, only illegitimate parents-if the term is to be used at all. Bernadette Devlin diversity justice children I'm not good enough to be a saint and not bad enough to be interesting. Bernadette Devlin not-good-enough saint interesting I think my life will always be worth living, though I don't imagine it being very easy. Bernadette Devlin imagine easy thinking Free love is too expensive. Bernadette Devlin free-love love-is love One American said that the most interesting thing about Holy Ireland was that its people hate each other in the name of Jesus Christ. And they do! Bernadette Devlin hate names jesus The Irish aren't great singers, but they have great songs. Bernadette Devlin ireland singers song I got quite bored, serving in the bar. Since I was there, the customers wouldn't talk about women, and with half their subject matter denied them, it was: horses, silence; horses, silence. Bernadette Devlin horse bored silence But I make a distinction between the doctrines of the Church, which matter, and the structure invented by half a dozen Italians who got to be pope and which is of very little use to anybody. Bernadette Devlin doctrine church use Basically, I have no place in organized politics. By coming to the British Parliament, I've allowed the people to sacrifice me at the top and let go the more effective job I should be doing at the bottom. Bernadette Devlin sacrifice letting-go jobs To gain what is worth having, it may be necessary to lose everything else. Bernadette Devlin worth gain lose everything
