‘In Ireland, where the Gaelic tongue is still spoken, and to some little extent where it is not, the people live according to a tradition of life that existed before commercialism, and the vulgarity founded upon it; and we who would keep the Gaelic tongue and Gaelic memories and Gaelic habits of mind would keep them, as I think, that we may some day spread a tradition of life that makes neither great wealth nor great poverty, that makes the arts a natural expression of life, that permits even common men to understand good art and high thinking, and to have the fine manners these things can give. [...]’

‘Can we not build up a national tradition, a national literature, which shall be none the less Irish for in spirit for being English in Language? Can we not keep the continuity of the nation’s life not be doing what Dr. Hyde has practically pronounced impossible [i.e., reviving the Irish language] but by translating or re-telling in English, which shall have an indefinable Irish quality of rhythm and style, all that is best of the ancient literature.’ (Letter to United Ireland, 17 Dec. 1892 ; John P Frayne, Uncollected Prose, Vol. I, 1970, p.57.)

‘Again and again I am asked why I do not write in Gaelic. [...] I begged the Indian writers present to remember that no man can think or write with music and vigour except in his mother tongue. I turned a friendly audience hostile, yet when I think of that scene I am unrepentent and angry. / I could no more have written in Gaelic than can those Indians write in English; Gaelic is my national language, but it is not my mother tongue.’ (p.520). Note also: 'I might have found more of Ireland if I had written in Irish, but I have found a little, and I have found all myself.’ ( Autobiographies, 1955, q.p.)