So as an amateur Olympic competitor I loved criticism, because it made me better. But now as a professional I don't really know how to channel it or where to take it, so I don't take it quite as well.

When you turn professional, you become an entertainer, and like every other entertainer, you don't want to get a bad review.

Male figure skating is different than female figure skating; we're not America's sweetheart.

I don't think most teachers realize how much impact they have.

If you desire something, you don't have it. It is more interesting than enjoyment, because enjoyment erases the mysteries and the vision of desire. Desire opens up possibilities but never achieves anything, whereas enjoyment is just the brutal achievement of something - and after that, it's done.

I have been helped over and over by wonderful men and women in my career. Men help each other all the time, and that kind of inclusion among women can create similar success.

The way forward is by building political support for republican and democratic objectives across Ireland and by winning support for these goals internationally.

The measure of success was writing a song, recording it and for it being in the hit parade in England. Success was about the postman walking up the garden whistling my song. I wasn't trying to conquer the world.