---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In Northern Ireland, people said there…"
description: "\"In Northern Ireland, people said there would never be a solution. But once people begin to have the political will and force their governments to sit d..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17c/mairead-corrigan-12568_force_in-northern-ireland-people-said-there-wo_200048.jpg"
---

#  In Northern Ireland, people said there would never be a…

![“In Northern Ireland, people said there would never be a solution. But once people begin to have the political will and force their governments to sit down, it can happen.” quote by Mairead Corrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17c/mairead-corrigan-12568_force_in-northern-ireland-people-said-there-wo_200048.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17c/mairead-corrigan-12568_force_in-northern-ireland-people-said-there-wo_200048.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17c/mairead-corrigan-12568_force_in-northern-ireland-people-said-there-wo_200048.jpg)

> “In Northern Ireland, people said there would never be a solution. But once people begin to have the political will and force their governments to sit down, it can happen.”

[Mairead Corrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mairead-corrigan/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Political will and dialogue can resolve entrenched conflicts when leaders commit to negotiation.

**In simple terms:** Will and talk solve disputes.

Key Takeaway

Encourage leaders to prioritize dialogue over stalemate.

Themes

peace politics conflict resolution

Mood

hopeful determined

Type

motivational practical

When to use this quote

- community mediation
- government talks
- grassroots activism
- policy reform

Key Concepts

Negotiation theory collective action

Questions to Reflect On

- What steps can sustain political will?
- How can citizens hold leaders accountable for dialogue?

A Different Perspective

Political will may be fleeting; parties can revert to old habits.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Force Governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force-governments-1538145/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governments/) [Governments Sit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governments-sit-2091821/) [Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens/) [Ireland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ireland/) [Ireland People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ireland-people-1392685/) [Northern ireland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/northern-ireland/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-will/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Solutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solutions/)

## Related quotes

> [The truth is that modern governments sit at the head of a well-funded security apparatus. They are told that foreign military adventures put domestic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-boyle/the-truth-is-that-modern-governments-sit-at-the-head-of-a-well-funded/)

[Frankie Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-boyle/)

> [Ireland and its people have much to be proud of. Yet every land and its people have moments of shame. Dealing with the failures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-brady/ireland-and-its-people-have-much-to-be-proud-of-yet-every-land-and/)

[Sean Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-brady/)

> [“Governments stand because people sit; if people stand, governments will sit!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/governments-stand-because-people-sit-if-people-stand-governments-will/)

[Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/)

> [Anarchists know that a long period of education must precede any great fundamental change in society, hence they do not believe in vote begging,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-parsons/anarchists-know-that-a-long-period-of-education-must-precede-any-2/)

[Lucy Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-parsons/)

> [I have felt the force of what governments can do. I remember my elder son being in the first cohort of kids who got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-phillips/i-have-felt-the-force-of-what-governments-can-do-i-remember-my-elder/)

[Jess Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-phillips/)

> [As coercive monopolies that spend other people's money taken by force, governments are uniquely unqualified to solve problems. They are riddled by ignorance, perverse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/as-coercive-monopolies-that-spend-other-people-s-money-taken-by-force/)

[John Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/)

> [In a republic there is no coercive force as in other governments, the laws must therefore endeavor to supply this defect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-de-montesquieu/in-a-republic-there-is-no-coercive-force-as-in-other-governments-the/)

[Baron de Montesquieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-de-montesquieu/)

> [There is no political will for peace in the Israeli government. They're not serious about political peace because they're still building settlements and demolishing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mairead-corrigan/there-is-no-political-will-for-peace-in-the-israeli-government-they/)

[Mairead Corrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mairead-corrigan/)

> [I did find New Zealand similar to Ireland. The people, obviously. I found that, ironically, although these two countries were very far away from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saoirse-ronan/i-did-find-new-zealand-similar-to-ireland-the-people-obviously-i/)

[Saoirse Ronan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saoirse-ronan/)

> [Everybody tries to do the Derry accent, and if I'm outside of Ireland, people always give it a wee go. It's really, really hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-lee-o-donnell/everybody-tries-to-do-the-derry-accent-and-if-i-m-outside-of-ireland/)

[Jamie-Lee O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-lee-o-donnell/)

> [A lot of the time in Ireland we put people into boxes and that's it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-dunbar/a-lot-of-the-time-in-ireland-we-put-people-into-boxes-and-that-s-it/)

[Adrian Dunbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-dunbar/)

> [I really enjoyed shooting in Ireland. The people are so lovely. I hope I don't offend anyone in saying this, but the nature reminded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-hawke/i-really-enjoyed-shooting-in-ireland-the-people-are-so-lovely-i-hope/)

[Maya Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-hawke/)

> [The land of Ireland for the people of Ireland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-larkin/the-land-of-ireland-for-the-people-of-ireland/)

[James Larkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-larkin/)

> [You can listen to carpenters talk for hours in Ireland. The people have a relationship to words that I don't think you will run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/you-can-listen-to-carpenters-talk-for-hours-in-ireland-the-people/)

[Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/)

> [One American said that the most interesting thing about Holy Ireland was that its people hate each other in the name of Jesus Christ.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernadette-devlin/one-american-said-that-the-most-interesting-thing-about-holy-ireland/)

[Bernadette Devlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernadette-devlin/)

## More by Mairead Corrigan

> [The experience of a lot of us women is that too much money is being spent on militarism and war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mairead-corrigan/the-experience-of-a-lot-of-us-women-is-that-too-much-money-is-being/)

[Mairead Corrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mairead-corrigan/)

> [Perhaps the greatest contribution that those of us who come from a Christian tradition can make is to throw out the old just-war theory,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mairead-corrigan/perhaps-the-greatest-contribution-that-those-of-us-who-come-from-a/)

[Mairead Corrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mairead-corrigan/)

> [We as a human family are on this train that is taking us into more and more war and more and more abuse of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mairead-corrigan/we-as-a-human-family-are-on-this-train-that-is-taking-us-into-more/)

[Mairead Corrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mairead-corrigan/)

> [We need radical thinking, creative ideas, and imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mairead-corrigan/we-need-radical-thinking-creative-ideas-and-imagination/)

[Mairead Corrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mairead-corrigan/)

> [Setting aside human rights and international law to have an agenda of war and killing and occupation to me is totally unacceptable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mairead-corrigan/setting-aside-human-rights-and-international-law-to-have-an-agenda-of/)

[Mairead Corrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mairead-corrigan/)

> [To enable consensus politics to develop we need to empower people where they live. This means devolving financial resources and political power down to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mairead-corrigan/to-enable-consensus-politics-to-develop-we-need-to-empower-people/)

[Mairead Corrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mairead-corrigan/)

> [Those of us who believe in human rights and the truth - particularly the journalists and the media - should stand in defense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mairead-corrigan/those-of-us-who-believe-in-human-rights-and-the-truth-particularly/)

[Mairead Corrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mairead-corrigan/)

> [We need now to build a culture of geniune nonviolence and real democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mairead-corrigan/we-need-now-to-build-a-culture-of-geniune-nonviolence-and-real/)

[Mairead Corrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mairead-corrigan/)

> [The experience of a lot of us women is that too much money is being spent on militarism and war. We need human security:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mairead-corrigan/the-experience-of-a-lot-of-us-women-is-that-too-much-money-is-being-2/)

[Mairead Corrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mairead-corrigan/)

> [To me the Nobel Peace laureates should not be hosted by a State Department that is continuing with war, removing basic civil liberties and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mairead-corrigan/to-me-the-nobel-peace-laureates-should-not-be-hosted-by-a-state/)

[Mairead Corrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mairead-corrigan/)

> [We need human security: food, education, health care for our children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mairead-corrigan/we-need-human-security-food-education-health-care-for-our-children/)

[Mairead Corrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mairead-corrigan/)

> [I have always been inspired by the American peace movement because it is operating in a very hard and militarist environment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mairead-corrigan/i-have-always-been-inspired-by-the-american-peace-movement-because-it/)

[Mairead Corrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mairead-corrigan/)

> [I support this proposal and agree with this great and important initiative to abolish militarism and war. I will continue to speak out for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mairead-corrigan/i-support-this-proposal-and-agree-with-this-great-and-important/)

[Mairead Corrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mairead-corrigan/)

> [I witnessed a lot of violence, and I found myself asking the question: Do you ever use violence to try to bring about political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mairead-corrigan/i-witnessed-a-lot-of-violence-and-i-found-myself-asking-the-question/)

[Mairead Corrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mairead-corrigan/)

> [Palestine has a very strong nonviolent movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mairead-corrigan/palestine-has-a-very-strong-nonviolent-movement/)

[Mairead Corrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mairead-corrigan/)

[Explore all 54 Mairead Corrigan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mairead-corrigan/)

## More Force quotes

> [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/)

[Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/)

> [Sentiment is the mightiest force in civilization; not sentimentality, but sentiment. Women will bring this into politics. Home, sweet home, is as powerful on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-ellen-foster/sentiment-is-the-mightiest-force-in-civilization-not-sentimentality/)

[Judith Ellen Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-ellen-foster/)

> [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/)

[Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/)

> [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/)

[Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/)

> [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/)

[Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/)

> [Above Coblentz almost every mountain has a ruin and a legend. One feels everywhere the spirit of the past, and its stirring recollections come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayard-taylor/above-coblentz-almost-every-mountain-has-a-ruin-and-a-legend-one/)

[Bayard Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayard-taylor/)

> [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/)

[Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/)

> [The one means that wins the easiest victory over reason is terror and force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-one-means-that-wins-the-easiest-victory-over-reason-is-terror-and/)

[Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/)

> [ Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a \[Soviet socialistic\] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-national-socialism-have-anything/)

[Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/)

> [Dictatorship is rule based directly upon force and unrestricted by any laws. The revolutionary dictatorship of the proletariat is rule won and maintained by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-lenin/dictatorship-is-rule-based-directly-upon-force-and-unrestricted-by/)

[Vladimir Lenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-lenin/)

> [The great force for forging a society into a solid mass has always been war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-graham-sumner/the-great-force-for-forging-a-society-into-a-solid-mass-has-always/)

[William Graham Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-graham-sumner/)

> [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/)

[Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/)

> [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/)

[Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/)

> [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/)

[Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/)

> [“If you refuse to use physical force, then you will be at the mercy of your oppressor!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segun-magbagbeola/if-you-refuse-to-use-physical-force-then-you-will-be-at-the-mercy-of/)

[Segun Magbagbeola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/segun-magbagbeola/)

[Browse all 10,458 Force quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "In Northern Ireland, people said there would never be a solution. But once people begin to have the political will and force their governments to sit down, it can happen.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Mairead Corrigan"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mairead-corrigan/in-northern-ireland-people-said-there-would-never-be-a-solution-but/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Force"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mairead-corrigan/in-northern-ireland-people-said-there-would-never-be-a-solution-but/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17c/mairead-corrigan-12568_force_in-northern-ireland-people-said-there-wo_200048.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17c/mairead-corrigan-12568_force_in-northern-ireland-people-said-there-wo_200048.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17c/mairead-corrigan-12568_force_in-northern-ireland-people-said-there-wo_200048.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“In Northern Ireland, people said there would never be a solution. But once people begin to have the…” — Mairead Corrigan",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Mairead Corrigan",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mairead-corrigan/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "In Northern Ireland, people said there...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mairead-corrigan/in-northern-ireland-people-said-there-would-never-be-a-solution-but/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mairead-corrigan/in-northern-ireland-people-said-there-would-never-be-a-solution-but/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
