Your favorite speech

Fenian Army

The Journal.ie had a series of articles in which various people, politicians etc said what their favorite speech was.

You can read them here:
http://www.thejournal.ie/famous-words/news/

So I thought a thread where we all share our favorite speeches (and maybe say why) would hopefully be just as interesting.

So, whether it be from a politician, patriot, activist, tv show, film etc etc what is your favorite speech and why?

Please post the speech or include a link to it if possible.

My favorite speech is Robert Emmet's one from the dock, here's a good performance of it;

I think it's one of the world's greatest speeches, heroic, inspiring. Gives me goosebumps anyway. It immortalized Robert Emmet and changed a disastrous rebellion into something which would inspire resistance for generations.

Honorable mention to Pearse's graveside oration at O'Dnnovan Rossa's funeral. You can hear that preformed live in Glasnevin cemetery every day at 2.30 pm all this month.

The Defenders of this Realm have worked well in secret and in the open. They think that they have pacified Ireland. They think that they have purchased half of us and intimidated the other half. They think that they have foreseen everything, think that they have provided against everything; but the fools, the fools, the fools! — they have left us our Fenian dead, and while Ireland holds these graves, Ireland unfree shall never be at peace.

Read it in full here:
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Speech_at_the_Grave_of_O’Donovan_Rossa

Looking forward to reading some interesting speeches!

marshbaboon

Tears to my eyes... every time...

WE... WILL... CELEBRATE!

Genghis Khan.

Its only half time.

Fenian Army

There is a couple of great ones in the West Wing too, I hope someone posts them.

flanno_7hi

I was going to look for something profound and historic but the first thing that popped into my head was this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rFx6OFooCs&feature=fvst

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO4tIrjBDkk

[/QUOTE]

Between living and dying!

Washington Irving

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mDaIsz-iU8

For Forks Sake

I refuse to take this thread seriously. In that spirit...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO4tIrjBDkk

Al Pacinos any given Sunday speech. Brilliant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO4tIrjBDkk

dodderangler

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLrrBs8JBQo&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Skid

flanno_7hi

Deleted User wrote: »

Al Pacinos any given Sunday speech. Brilliant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO4tIrjBDkk

HazDanz

The Perils of Indifference - Elie Wiesel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_RwGmYHyJ0

cassel16

Awful boring voice but great reply to Churchill after the war

Shryke

I won't say favorite but Hamlet by Withnail is a good one. (I know it's a soliloquy and I don't care.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zEVZGuU3BU

Washington Irving

Wow, three of the first seven replies had the same speech

admiralofthefleet

martin luther talking about his sega dreamcast

Mr Keek

I always liked the Armageddon Speech

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zje91xTd6Lc

For Forks Sake

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5j2F4VcBmeo

HoggyRS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WibmcsEGLKo

Teyla Emmagan

There is no youtube for this, but it's one that always got me in school. Padraig Pearse, these are only the last two lines. It's the Oration on the Graveside of O'Donovan Rossa in Glasnevin:

But the fools, the fools, the fools! - they have left us our Fenian dead, and while Ireland holds these graves, Ireland unfree shall never be at peace.

There's something advertising it on the radio at the moment, just reminded me. Powerful words though.

El Weirdo

Has anybody mentioned this one yet?

For Forks Sake

El Weirdo wrote: »

Has anybody mentioned this one yet?

Never heard of that one before

Fenian Army

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

There is no youtube for this, but it's one that always got me in school. Padraig Pearse, these are only the last two lines. It's the Oration on the Graveside of O'Donovan Rossa in Glasnevin:

But the fools, the fools, the fools! - they have left us our Fenian dead, and while Ireland holds these graves, Ireland unfree shall never be at peace.

There's something advertising it on the radio at the moment, just reminded me. Powerful words though.

Yeah thats what I mentioned in my OP, theres a performance of it every day at half two.

Odaise Gaelach

My favourite is that one that starts with "A Úachtaráin agus a chairde".

Ms.M

Michael D.Higgin's speech delivery is fantastic. He's a fantastic orator, even in debate. This isn't a speech but sounds like one. And Micky D calling Michael Graham a wanker on live radio is priceless.
Mad to think some of us thought he was a wee bit old! Plenty of energy left in him.
Sorry for going off tangent a bit.

Alessandra

Fenian Army wrote: »

Yeah thats what I mentioned in my OP, theres a performance of it every day at half two.

I highly recommend it. The tour is also fantastic there.

admiralofthefleet

morgan freeman in deep impact was a good one

Mr Keek

Always thought this was a very cool one too

For Forks Sake

Ms.M wrote: »

Michael D.Higgin's speech delivery is fantastic. He's a fantastic orator, even in debate. This isn't a speech but sounds like one. And Micky D calling Michael Graham a wanker on live radio is priceless.
Mad to think some of us thought he was a wee bit old! Plenty of energy left in him.
Sorry for going off tangent a bit.

Remember hearing that live when it was on first, Higgins went through Graham for a shortcut.

Eden3

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Pearse Doherty Budget Speech 2010 - makes sense to me!

For Forks Sake

Eden3 wrote: »

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Pearse Doherty Budget Speech 2010 - makes sense to me!

Fail. On numerous levels.

nacimroc

Puts pacino's muck talk to shame:D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQWxgnFc1fk

Moving back probably to the OP's original intention -
Possibly the most inspiring and beautiful speech is Randy Pausch's last lecture "Achieving Your Childhood Dreams"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo

For all Sorkin's flaws sometimes, he's good when it comes to rants:

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip ("Change the Channel")

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zyOhZsvIzI

The Newsroom ("America is not the greatest country in the world")

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKklog0T9a4

God Bless America also had some excellent rants, especially this one, from the protagonist, Frank.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52EnTtGstKg

Wibbs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO4tIrjBDkk

OK, that's fine and dandy, but for me in this lays the difference between an all too obvious hyperbole happily retracing it's banality, even reveling in it and then something approaching profundity about the human condition checks my thoughts to consider more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXixlEy5Gfc

PS props to oul Liam Crystal. He plays it well.

EoghanIRL

Josef goebels speeches and hitler. He was a great orator. He won the crowd over every time and they were just flawless. Its also one of my favourite parts of history the world wars are.

billymitchell

The whole first 15 minutes of this film

EoghanIRL

Lou Gehrig and robbert Emmets speeches are also good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juFSNpjbVN4

Extremely apt in today's world.

BOHtox

flanno_7hi

Wibbs wrote: »

[
OK, that's fine and dandy, but for me in this lays the difference between an all too obvious hyperbole happily retracing it's banality, even reveling in it and then something approaching profundity about the human condition checks my thoughts to consider more.


PS props to oul Liam Crystal. He plays it well.

That's great but Ah dictates i counter it with this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkEl_R0dTfY

Teyla Emmagan

Fenian Army wrote: »

Yeah thats what I mentioned in my OP, theres a performance of it every day at half two.

Sorry! Guilty yet again of not reading the OP properly!

GerM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc3S6iGmUjI

J Cheever Loophole

Geezer.

LizT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVL-gA1KpxQ

Il Trap

'....and now where are you, Father Eamonn Hunter? Working with pygmies in the South Seas. And where am I? Here, accepting a Golden Cleric award for being a top priest!

...Yes, of course! He thought it'd be a great idea, great fun to pour water on this young novice's mattress.
But, of course, 30 years later, the smile has been very much wiped off Father Barry kiernan's face!'

gara

Because of it's poignancy and his immense courage and composure to stand up and address people whilst dying

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpqGxeUGeZs

The King of Moo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeVq1e6JKlw

Not only is it an example of great screen acting, it manages to create a great mix of genuine sadness and anger combined with a real poetry to some of the language.

Honourable mention goes to Robert De Niro's recitation of the same speech as Jake La Motta in Raging Bull, which has its own poignancy.

J Cheever Loophole

Although not my favourite, this speech is worthy of mention, because of the significance of the moment.

Fenian Army

No more speeches?

Palytoxin

I liked the bit of a speech in this, something about it.

Cienciano

Not an actual speech, but legendary and hard to get anything as passionate at this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqZTP8-8wIs