- Narrator: [First lines] When I look back on my childhood, I wonder how my brothers and I managed to survive at all. It was, of course, a miserable childhood. The happy childhood is hardly worth telling. Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood. And worse still is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood.
- Angela McCourt: If I were able I would go to work in the English factories.
- Malachy: Factory's no place for a woman Angela.
- Angela McCourt: Sittin' on your arse is no place for a man Malachy.
- Angela McCourt: [Showing Oliver a painting of Jesus] That's the baby Jesus. And if you ever need anything, you should pray to him.
- Young Malachy: [Whispered to Frankie] Could you tell Jesus that we're hungry?
- Young Frank: Shut up!
- Narrator: If I were in America I could say "I love you, dad", the way they do in the films. But in Limerick they'd laugh at you. In Limerick you are only allowed to say you love God, and babies, and horses that win. Anything else is softness in the head.
- [the twins are crying]
- Young Malachy: Look at my bum!
- Young Frank: Stop showing your bum!
- Young Malachy: I was just trying to make them laugh!
- Angela McCourt: I was thinking of calling him Alphonsius.
- Middle Frank: Alphonsius? That's a stupid name!
- Middle Michael: [after Malachy makes weak excuses for returning from England with no money] You drank the money, Da.
- Middle Malachy: You drank the money.
- Middle Frank: You drank the money.
- Mrs. Leibowitz: What is it, Malachy?
- Malachy: It's a beautiful wee girl, Mrs. Liebowitz! After four boys, can you believe it? A wee girl.
- Older Frank: [drunk, yelling at Angela] Every night you went up there! Squeak Squeak Squeak with Laman Griffin!