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Aula magna del complesso di Santa Caterina in the University, Bologna |
Our day 7 blogger is Noel Monahan
Monday 9th June - evening event & Tuesday 7th June, morning and home
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Mia, Afric, Valerie and Noel at Via de Poeti, Bologna |
Sounds of Words/I Suoni della
Parola is the final event of the Italo- Irish Literature
Exchange 2014. It is hot and the evening sun is relentless. Instinctively, we
head for the water-hole outside the Aula Magna, Rita pours cool glasses of
water for us and we are informed Bologna University is the oldest in the world.
The hall inside reeks of final examinations going all the
way back to the twelfth century.
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Refreshments before the reading, Afric tucks in |
The programme for this evening is
presented differently. On every chair you find a paper-wallet full of
information relating to the Irish and Italian writers and poets. I am taken by
its presentation, the detail right down to green ribbon. By now we are familiar
with the proceedings, the translations are ready to go, the running order is
set, Tanya, the interpreter leans over and the sounds of words ring out in
Italian, English, Irish and Roman dialect.
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Writers Silvia Secco, Afric McGlinchey, Gino Scatasta, Alessandro Dall'Olio and William Wall |
Questions and answers at the end of
the readings lead to a lively exchange of ideas on education and the role of
the poet. Back at 77, the Italian Writers’ watering-hole, we drink beer, wine,
nibble on cheese, bread, prosciutto … They are a lively bunch and there is real
integration. We should stay in contact with 77.
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Liz Kirwan and Valerie Bistany |
Not only do we talk about
DISPLACEMENT, we live it. We get lost on the way back to the Ospitalita.
Tuesday we return home. Last minute shopping and we head to the airport. Back
in Dublin, I run off with someone’s ham, wine .. and think it’s the after-shave
I bought for the boys. What was that theme again? DISPLACEMENT.
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Our interpreter Tanya, with all of us and Grupo 77, the Italian wrtiers we read with, outside 77 Wine Bar |
Since
this is the final report on the trip I feel I should comment on the generosity
of spirit of all. We hardly knew each other at the beginning. I certainly feel I
was enriched by the experience. Our thanks to Valerie and The Irish Writers’
Centre for making it all happen. When will we meet up?
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