Angela's Ashes

Angela's Ashes Quotes

Based on the best selling autobiography by Irish expat Frank McCourt, Angela's Ashes follows the experiences of young Frankie and his family as they try against all odds to escape the ... See full summary »

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.
Young Frank: Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. It's been a minute since my last confession.
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.
Malachy: It's poor I am. It's unlucky I am. But it's useless I am not.
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.
Narrator: It was the first time my father ever kissed me. I felt so happy I could float.
Young Frank: In the name of the father, the son and the holy toast.
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.
Aunt Aggie: [to Frank] You're wearin me dead mothers dress!
[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!
Older Frank: [confessing to Francis of Assisi as a priest listens] I hit my mother...
Older Frank: [drunk, yelling at Angela] Every night you went up there! Squeak Squeak Squeak with Laman Griffin!
Malachy: I wouldn't give the English the steam off my pish!
Angela McCourt: I was thinking of calling him Alphonsius.
Middle Frank: Alphonsius? That's a stupid name!
Angela McCourt: Don't let anyone ever slam the door on you again. Do you hear me?
Older Frank: I do.
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.
Theresa: Lord, you might be scrawny, but that's a fine boyo you have there.
Young Frank: He's fatter than the baby Jesus!

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