Gerry Adams

“If I didn't forgive the people who took me into the barracks and beat me unconscious over a period of days during the period when the British state was indicted for inhuman and degrading treatment in 1971-72, or even the guys who shot me, if you don't forgive them, you end up with unnecessary baggage.”

“War... some people glamorise war and glorify war. It's not nice, from whatever point of view you come from.”

“The catalyst for much of this change is the growing support for republicanism.”

“It will always be a battle a day between those who want maximum change and those who want to maintain the status quo.”

“The Good Friday Agreement and the basic rights and entitlements of citizens that are enshrined within it must be defended and actively promoted by London and Dublin.”

“I think there is a huge responsibility upon governments to understand the consequence of their decisions.”

“For over 30 years, the IRA showed that the British government could not rule Ireland on its own terms.”

“The days of humiliation, of second-class citizens and of inequality are over and gone forever.”

“Making peace, I have found, is much harder than making war.”

“I like to think I'm very grounded. I'm very grounded in my family. I'm very grounded in my community.”

“One man's transparency is another's humiliation.”

“Hugging trees has a calming effect on me. I'm talking about enormous trees that will be there when we are all dead and gone. I've hugged trees in every part of this little island.”

“But I also hold the very strong view that republicans need to lead by example.”

“Sinn Fein has the potential and capacity to become the vehicle for the attainment of republican objectives.”

“I think the worst kind of grief is unacknowledged grief.”

“The unionists also for their part, want to minimise the potential for change, not only on the equality agenda but on the issues of sovereignty and ending the union.”

“The last months, weeks and days have seen accelerating discussions, involving the DUP for the first time, about a comprehensive agreement which would see all outstanding matters dealt with and the Good Friday Agreement implemented in full.”

“If you militarise a situation, you beg for an armed response.”

“You can only judge anything that happened in the times, in the times that that happened.”

“For good or ill, I'm a person of leadership. I do my best. I don't dodge responsibility.”