John Boyle O'Reilly Quotes

Powerful John Boyle O'Reilly for Daily Growth

About John Boyle O'Reilly

John Boyle O'Reilly (1844-1880), an Irish-Australian poet and journalist, was born in County Cork, Ireland on February 3, 1844. O'Reilly was a member of the Fenian Brotherhood, an organization dedicated to achieving Irish independence through political means or armed rebellion. In 1867, while attempting to smuggle himself and fellow Fenians into Canada aboard the ship Catalpa, they were discovered by British authorities. The group was recaptured, and O'Reilly spent the next two years in Western Australia as a convict. During this time, he continued his writing and became editor of the Irish convicts' newspaper, The Words of the Rebels. After escaping to the United States in 1869, O'Reilly settled in Boston where he worked as a journalist for The Pilot, the city's Catholic weekly newspaper. His writings during this period include some of his most famous works such as "The Tales of the Land of Heroes" (1872), a collection of Irish folklore, and "Moortle: A Tasmanian Legend" (1874). O'Reilly also wrote several novels, including "Father O'Flynn's Mission" (1869) and "Paddy O'Rourke" (1870), which dealt with the Irish immigrant experience in America. His poetry, often characterized by its lyricism and patriotism, was widely admired. Notable poems include "To Ireland" (1873), a poignant tribute to his homeland, and "The Song of the Irish Fenian," an anthem of the Fenian movement. Tragically, John Boyle O'Reilly died at the age of 36 on July 6, 1880, leaving behind a significant literary legacy that continues to inspire readers today. His quotes often reflect his love for Ireland and his belief in the power of words: "The pen is more powerful than the sword; it is easier to kill a man than it is to kill an idea."

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Live every day as if it were your last, but strive to that end that the last may be far off."

This quote by John Boyle O'Reilly encourages living each day with purpose and urgency, recognizing the fleeting nature of time, yet simultaneously working towards a future where the "last day" can be delayed as long as possible. It suggests that while we should make the most of every moment, we must also invest in our futures by setting goals and striving for personal growth. In essence, it calls for a balance between seizing the day and aiming for longevity.

"A prisoner is a man with dreams, and the dreamer is a prisoner."

This quote by John Boyle O'Reilly implies that everyone, regardless of their physical freedom, has innate dreams and aspirations. The phrase "prisoner" can symbolize anyone who feels confined or restricted in any aspect of life – be it literal incarceration, societal expectations, personal limitations, or internal fears. Conversely, the "dreamer" is an individual who dares to envision a better future and break free from these self-imposed or external barriers. In essence, O'Reilly suggests that our dreams give us the power to transcend our perceived prisons and unlock our true potential.

"I would rather walk away from God than do him wrong."

This quote by John Boyle O'Reilly signifies a deep-rooted sense of integrity, loyalty, and devotion. It suggests that the speaker values moral righteousness above all else, even if it means severing ties with a divine entity or principle they hold dear. In other words, they would rather choose to live honorably, free from wrongdoing, than compromise their principles and potentially harm or offend God. This quote serves as a testament to the importance of personal morality and the courage to stand by one's convictions.

"There is no such thing as trouble; there are only opportunities to trust God more."

This quote by John Boyle O'Reilly suggests a perspective that views challenges or difficulties not as problems to be avoided, but as chances to strengthen faith and rely more on one's belief in a higher power (in this case, God). Instead of seeing hardships as troublesome, the speaker encourages us to view them as opportunities for spiritual growth. Essentially, the quote emphasizes resilience, optimism, and trust in divine guidance during tough times.

"The true test of civilization is not the census, nor the size of cities, nor the crops, nor the mines, nor the riches of the country - but the kindness and courtesy of its people."

This quote by John Boyle O'Reilly suggests that the measure of a civilization's level of advancement is not based on traditional indicators such as population size, urbanization, agricultural productivity, or wealth. Instead, it emphasizes the significance of kindness and courtesy within a society as true markers of civilization. These qualities represent the respect, empathy, and compassion shown by individuals towards each other, indicating a level of maturity, understanding, and social harmony that is integral to a truly civilized society.

Putting prize-fighting altogether aside as one of the unavoidable evils attending on this manly exercise, the inestimable value of boxing as a training, discipline, and development of boys and young men remains.

- John Boyle O'Reilly

Development, Young, Putting, Remains

A good boxer, in striking the round blow, instead of loosening body and arm, gathers himself into a heap of muscularity and begins his blow where all blows ought to begin, from the solidarity of the right foot.

- John Boyle O'Reilly

Good, Body, Begins, Heap

It has always been the aim of royalty and aristocracy to lower the individual liberty and independence of the common people. A baron and a minute-man could not breathe the same air.

- John Boyle O'Reilly

Aim, Always, Been, Individual Liberty

Prize-Fighting is not the aim of boxing. This noble exercise ought not to be judged by the dishonesty or the low lives of too many of its professional followers. Let it stand alone, an athletic practice, on the same footing as boating or football.

- John Boyle O'Reilly

Practice, Aim, Lives, Dishonesty

In 1889, I predict, the legislative stage of the Irish question will have arrived; and the union with England, which shall then have cursed Ireland for nine tenths of a century, will be repealed.

- John Boyle O'Reilly

England, Nine, Which, Ireland

Social equity is based on justice; politics change on the opinion of the time. The black man's skin will be a mark of social inferiority so long as white men are conceited, ignorant, unjust, and prejudiced. You cannot legislate these qualities out of the white - you must steal them out by teaching, illustration, and example.

- John Boyle O'Reilly

Politics, Skin, Steal, Illustration

The success of the suffrage movement would injure women spiritually and intellectually, for they would be assuming a burden though they knew themselves unable to bear it. It is the sediment, not the wave, of a sex. It is the antithesis of that highest and sweetest mystery - conviction by submission, and conquest by sacrifice.

- John Boyle O'Reilly

Wave, Burden, Injure, Sweetest

The adoption of gloves for all contests will do more to preserve the practice of boxing than any other conceivable means. It will give pugilism new life, not only as a professional boxer's art, but as a general exercise.

- John Boyle O'Reilly

Exercise, Practice, Other, Contests

Women ought to be fully guarded by law in all rights of property, labor, profession, etc.; but, roughly stated, the voting population ought to represent the fighting population.

- John Boyle O'Reilly

Law, Voting, Profession, Roughly

Women are at once the guardians and the well-spring of the world's faith, morality, and tenderness; and if ever they are degraded to a commonplace level with men, this fine essential quality will be impaired, and their weakness will have to beg and follow where now it guides and controls.

- John Boyle O'Reilly

Faith, Controls, Beg, Guardians

The Greeks were the first boxers. Pugilism appears to have been one of the earliest distinctions in play and exercise that appeared between the Hellenes and their Asiatic fathers. The unarmed personal encounter was indicative of a sturdier manhood.

- John Boyle O'Reilly

Play, Been, Fathers, Manhood

With the advent of chivalry, the art of boxing waned. The evolution of feudal aristocracy, with other and widely different exercises, pastimes and weapons from those of the common people, made boxing unfashionable.

- John Boyle O'Reilly

Art, Other, Advent, Weapons

Every boy in a free country ought to be instructed in boxing, wrestling, and the use of weapons. Every young man ought to be drilled. Every householder ought, at least, to have a right to own a rifle, and should know how to make cartridges.

- John Boyle O'Reilly

Young, Country, Use, Weapons

With the advance of feudalism came the growth of iron armor, until, at last, a fighting-man resembled an armadillo.

- John Boyle O'Reilly

Armor, Last, Came, Feudalism

All that is worth seeing in good boxing can best be witnessed in a contest with soft gloves. Every value is called out: quickness, force, precision, foresight, readiness, pluck, and endurance. With these, the rowdy and 'rough' are not satisfied.

- John Boyle O'Reilly

Precision, Rough, Readiness, Gloves

The brutalities of a fight with bare hands, the crushed nasal bones, maimed lips, and other disfigurements, which call for the utter abolition of boxing in the interests of humanity, at once disappear when the contestants cover their hands with large, soft-leather gloves.

- John Boyle O'Reilly

Hands, Other, Abolition, Gloves

Woman suffrage is an unjust, unreasonable, unspiritual abnormality. It is a hard, undigested, tasteless, devitalized proposition. It is a half-fledged, unmusical, Promethean abomination. It is a quack bolus to reduce masculinity even by the obliteration of femininity.

- John Boyle O'Reilly

Woman, Unjust, Reduce, Femininity

The right word fitly spoken is a precious rarity.

- John Boyle O'Reilly

Precious, Right, Right Word, Spoken

It is heroic to prepare for war with a tyrant power. Patriots will always win the admiration of mankind for daring to meet the bloodshed of battle for their country's liberty. But the patriot who is willing to go to that sacrifice will be the first to condemn the aimless and secret shedding of blood in time of peace.

- John Boyle O'Reilly

Country, Prepare, Aimless, Bloodshed

Be true to your work, your word, and your friend.

- John Boyle O'Reilly

Work, Saint Patrick's Day, Friend

No writer for the press, however humble, is free from the burden of keeping his purpose high and his integrity white.

- John Boyle O'Reilly

Humble, However, Keeping, Burden

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