Speech in Torquay (30 January 1921)
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There is no one in the world who would be more pleased to see an absolute unity in Ireland than I would, and it could be purchased tomorrow, at what does not seem to me a very big price. If the South and West of Ireland came forward tomorrow to Ulster and said – "Look here, we have to run our old island, and we have to run her together, and we will give up all this everlasting teaching of hatred of England, and we will shake hands with you, and you and we together, within the Empire, doing our best for ourselves and the United Kingdom, and for all His Majesty's Dominion will join together", I will undertake that we would accept the handshake.

— Edward Carson

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "There is no one in the world who would be more pleased to see an absolute unity in Ireland than I would, and it could be purchased tomorrow, at what does not seem to me a very big price. If the South and West of Ireland came forward tomorrow to Ulster and said – "Look here, we have to run our old island, and we have to run her together, and we will give up all this everlasting teaching of hatred of England, and we will shake hands with you, and you and we together, within the Empire, doing our best for ourselves and the United Kingdom, and for all His Majesty's Dominion will join together", I will undertake that we would accept the handshake." in the context of "Speech in Torquay (30 January 1921)" to mean that wisdom is timeless.

Quote Image
Source: Wikiquote: "Edward Carson" (Quotes) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Edward Carson

About Edward Carson

Edward Henry Carson, Baron Carson PC (9 February 1854 – 22 October 1935) was a leader of the Irish Unionists, a barrister and a judge. As leader of the Irish Unionists he unsuccessfully opposed both Irish home rule and Irish independence, although he did succeed in getting Northern Ireland to remain in the United Kingdom. During World War I he served as de facto Leader of the Opposition.