England's difficulty is Ireland's opportunity

Some few years ago, we followed O'Connell, and when he declared that ‘England's difficulty is Ireland's opportunity’, we threw our hats in the air.
[1856 Tribune 19 Jan. 188]

The cry that ‘England's Difficulty Is Ireland's Opportunity’ is raised in the old senseless, spiteful way as a recommendation to stab England in the back when she is fighting some one else.
[1916 G. B. Shaw in New York Times (Mag.) 9 Apr. 2]

Successive plantations—of Scottish Presbyterians in Ulster‥did not secure Ireland. The Catholics' watchword remained: ‘England's difficulty is Ireland's opportunity.’
[1969 T. Pakenham Year of Liberty i.]

Britain's difficulty became Ireland's opportunity last night when‥Sir Denis Mahon presented three Baroque paintings originally destined for Liverpool to the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin.
[1997 Times 15 Oct. 8]

Related to: opportunity; politics

Bibliography of major proverb collections and works cited from modern editions is available here.