My mother I can recall perfectly. Her face was always red and sore-looking from bending at the fire; she spent her life making tea to pass the time and singing snatches of old songs to pass the meantime.

- Flann O'Brien, The Third Policeman

It is thus that Finn spends the day: a third of the day watching the boys: three fifties of boys has he at play in his ballyard; a third of the day drinking sack; and a third of the day in the calm sorcery of chess.

- Flann O'Brien, At Swim-Two-Birds