"The Cultural Links between Galicia and Ireland Continue to Flourish Today": An Interview with the Director of the Irish Centre for Galician Studies (UCC) Martin Veiga

Abstract

Abstract. Dr. Martin Veiga Alonso is Director of the Irish Centre for Galician Studies and lecturer and co-ordinator of the Higher Diploma in Arts (Spanish) at the Department of Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies at University College Cork. His main areas of research include contemporary Galician and Irish travel writing and poetry, with special focus on the Galician poet Anton Aviles de Taramancos, about whom he has published Escribir na multitude: a obra literaria de Anton Aviles de Taramancos (2014), Anton Aviles de Taramancos (2003), Biografia sonora de Aviles de Taramancos (2009), Cantos caucanos (2003) and the edited volume Raiceiras e vento. A obra poetica de Anton Aviles de Taramancos (2003). Veiga is co-editor of Galicia 21: Journal of Contemporary Galician Studies and has recently edited a special issue devoted to the works of the Galician poet and essayist Xavier Queipo (2013). Furthermore, Martin Veiga is also a prolific translator and poet, and his volumes of poetry have received important awards. His collections are Tempo van de porcelana (1990), As ultimas ruinas (1994, Espiral Maior Prize), Ollos de ambar (2005, Esquio Prize) and Fundaxes (2006, Fiz Vergara Vilarino Prize). In this interview, held at University College Cork in July 2015, we discussed the historical vocation of Galician literature to look towards Ireland, as well as the role and activities of the Irish Centre for Galician Studies at UCC and the relevance and future of Galician Studies in Ireland and Europe. Key Words. Galician Studies, Irish Centre for Galician Studies, Contemporary Irish Poetry, Contemporary Galician Poetry Resumen. El Dr. Martin Veiga Alonso es un profesor gallego que actualmente dirige el Centro Irlandes de Estudios Gallegos en la Universidad de Cork (UCC). Tambien ejerce su docencia en el Departamento de Espanol, Portugues y Estudios Latinoamericanos de la misma universidad, donde coordina el Diploma de Estudios Superiores (Spanish). Sus principales areas de investigacion se centran en la literatura de viajes y en la poesia de Galicia e Irlanda, con especial atencion a la obra del poeta gallego Anton Aviles de Tamarancos, sobre el que ha publicado los libros Escribir na multitude: A obra literaria de Anton Aviles de Taramancos (2014), Anton Aviles de Taramancos (2003), Biografia sonora de Aviles de Taramancos (2009), Cantos caucanos (2003), asi como la edicion de Raiceiras e vento. A obra poetica de Anton Aviles de Taramancos (2003). Veiga es coeditor de Galicia 21: Journal of Contemporary Galician Studies y ha editado recientemente un numero especial dedicado a la obra del poeta y ensayista gallego Xavier Queipo (2013). Martin Veiga, ademas, es un prolifico traductor y poeta; sus volumenes de poesia han obtenido importantes galardones: Tempo van de porcelana (1990), As ultimas ruinas (1994, Premio Espiral Maior), Ollos de ambar (2005, Premio Esquio) and Fundaxes (2006, Premio Fiz Vergara Vilarino). En esta entrevista, realizada en la Universidad de Cork en julio de 2015, tuve la oportunidad de discutir con el profesor Veiga sobre la vocacion historica de la literatura gallega hacia Irlanda y pude preguntarle por las actividades del Centro Irlandes de Estudios Gallegos en UCC, asi como la relevancia y el futuro de los estudios gallegos en Irlanda y en Europa. Palabras clave. Estudios gallegos, Centro Irlandes de Estudios Gallegos, poesia irlandesa contemporanea, poesia gallega contemporanea Veronica Membrive Perez: Although there are other centres for Galician Studies around Europe and even in America, UCC has the only Irish Centre for Galician Studies. The Centre was created in 1998 by Professor David Mackenzie and you are currently the Director. Why did UCC decide to found the Centre? Martin Veiga: The appointment of David Mackenzie as Professor of Spanish at UCC in 1997 was obviously instrumental in this decision, as he was one of the great contributors to the international establishment of Galician Studies as an academic discipline, particularly in the English-speaking world. …