The O’Brien Press

Ever dreamt of cutting dead some annoying fecker in the pub with a razor-sharp witticism? Ever imagined bringing your boss down to size with a turn of phrase that cuts the ground from under him? And wouldn't you just love to open your door to a smugly grinning politician and wipe the smile off his face with a remark so pointed it stabs him through his empty heart?

The good news is that all those Irish masters of the spoken and written word -- Wilde, Behan, Shaw and many more -- have done it for you. They've a stinging or witty quotation for virtually every occasion and they are all contained within. All you have to do is take the words out of the master's mouths …

Colin Murphy is the author of The Most Famous Irish People You’ve Never Heard Of and co-author of the bestselling ‘Feckin’ collection (The O’Brien Press). His début historical novel Boycott (Brandon) was published in 2012 to great acclaim. 

Donal O'Dea is a senior Art Director at one of Ireland’s leading advertising agencies.