Xoan Xosé Fernández Abella

Birth Date: 11th September 1933
Birth Place: Monforte de Lemos (Lugo)
 Curriculum

He graduated in Teaching and took a degree in Law. Before leaving to Venezuela (1966 – 1972), he had published articles about Ortega y Gasset and Xaime Quedada in La hoja del lunes and La Región, and his "Soneto a un humilde ciprés en cementerio" was included in Antología Poética 1957¸ Ediciones Rumbos (Barcelona), published in Fin de Semana (Ourense) and read by the author in Radio Ourense. In 1962, he participated in a collective poetry reading in Ourense with Antón Tovar, Carlos Casares, Matilde Lloria, Pepe Romero, etc. From 1968 to 1970, he published poems in Irmandade (Caracas – Venezuela) and participated in Sempre en Galiza on Radiodifusora Venezuela (Caracas), reading poems and works about Galicia. He returned in 1972.

He published poems in La Voz de Ortigueira, Ortegal, Ateneo Ferrolán, Poesía Galicia (Ferrol), Dorna, Encrucillada, Xistral, Técula, Poemas do arco da Vella, Chorima, San Martiño, O Correo Galego, Galicia Hoxe, O Norte de Negreira, Tabeirós Terra de A Estrada, Augasverso, La Voz de Ortigueira, Encrucillada and El Correo Gallego.

In August 2008, Alonso Branco Torrado reproduced in Irimia the sonet that Abella dedicated him on 30th June 2002, titled A Gustavo Santiago Valencia. His poem A Paco Corral, In Memoriam was published in Guieiro in 2005.

From 1989 to 1991 he was on the organizing committee of the Universidad Popular de Ortigueira. He has read poetry on radio and TV in Venezuela, Galicia and Portugal and promoted culture in lectures, theatre, roundtables, etc.

His "Canto á Terra" was set to music by Martínez Vieito and sung by Dolores Cava with López de Saa in the piano in Monforte in 1981. The Coral Polifónica Ortegana, conducted by Hixinio Rodríguez López, sang the poem in a five-voice version at the Universidad Popular de Ortigueira in 1989.

He is a member of SAF (Society of Artists of Ferrol), AELG (Association of Writers in Galician Language), Castelao Foundation, Alexandre Bóveda Foundation, Museo do Pobo Galego, Asociación Teenses pola Igualdade, Amnesty International, Red Cross and Cristianisme i Justícia.

He introduced Vicente Eyré in an exhibition at Hostal dos Reis Católicos in Santiago de Compostela on 1st June 2000, where he also read a poem dedicated to him that was reproduced in a catalogue about his painting. Afterwards, owing to an exhibition celebrated at Hotel Convento I in Coreses (Zamora) on 8th December 2001, he introduced him again and translated his poem A Vicente Eyré into Galician to end up his speech.

He also took part in the audiovisual project of the Association of Writers in Galician Language (AELG), Escritores en 1ª Persoa, 2005, reading a poem of his own and another one writen by Cabanillas, with a previous interview.

 Work & Activities

WORKS:

A) Bilingual books:

-Poemas galegos. Inquietudes, hallazgos y otros poemas, illustrated by García-Mourón, Viveiro, 1976.

-Escolma de poemas. Espigueo lírico, with a biographic prologue by Siro and illustrations by his wife, Mercedes Álvarez Lage, Edicións do Castro, 1990.

-Poemas de amor, loanza, condena e outros, prologued by Xesús Alonso Montero, Follas Novas (November 2011).

 

B) Galician books:

-Poemas estradenses e catorce poemas máis, with a prologue by Baldomero Iglesias Dobarrio, "Mero", Edicións Fervenza, A Estrada, 2005.

 

C) Collective books:

-Antología poética 1957, Rumbos, Barcelona, 1957.

-¿Qué cousa é cousa? Libro das adiviñas, compiled by Paco Martín, Galaxia, Vigo, 1985.

-Número extraordinario de homenaje a Leandro Pita Romero, La Voz de Ortigueira, nº: 3691, 27-03-1987.

-Número extraordinario de homenaje a Dámaso Calvo Moreiras, La Voz de Ortigueira, nº: 3831, 01-12-1989. This work was improved and published afterwards in Bradomín, nº 2.

-Poesía Galicia. Antología 1990, Ferrol, 1990.

-Homenaje al polígrafo eumés don Antonio Couceiro Freijomil en el primer centenario de su nacimiento, 1888-1988, A Coruña County Council, A Coruña, 1990.

-Poesía de Galicia. Poemas á nai, compiled by Xesús López Fernández, Santiago, 1999.

-Coroa Literaria para Roberto Blanco Torres contra a súa morte, Edicións do Castro, Sada 1999.

-47 poetas de hoxe cantan a Curros Enríquez, Xerais, 2001.

-Alma de beiramar (A Asociación de Escritores en Lingua Galega, en contra da Marea Negra), A Nosa Terra, 2003.

-Xela Arias, quedas en nós, Xerais, 2004.

-Unidade didáctica Antonio Couceiro Freijomil (1888-1955), Sociedade Filatélica de Arte e Humanidades, Eume, Pontedeume, 2004.

-IV Forxa Literaria (1999), V Forxa Literaria (2001), VI Forxa Literaria (2003), VII forxa literaria (2005), etc., A Solaina de Piloño Foundation (Lalín).

-Enrique Pajón, educador de Sentimientos, Linteo, Ourense, 2000.

-Testemunhos II, Ricardo Marques (in memoriam) (1962-1997), Viana do Castelo, 2000.

-Quando o Amor nao tem fronteiras, Evocando a memoria de Ricardo Marques (Médico sem Fronteiras) (1962-1997) (Poemas), Gimaraes, 2005.

-Homenaxe a Ánxel Casal, Association of Writers in Galician Language, 2005.

-Homenaxe dos poetas galegos a Federico García Lorca contra a súa morte, P.E.N. Clube Galicia, 2006.

-Bernardino Graña, homenaxe no 75 aniversario, published by Heitor Mera, Xerais, 2007.

-Enrique Líster na voz e na admiración dos poetas. De Antonio Machado a hoxe, prologued by Xesús Alonso Montero, Hipocampo amigo, Poesía, 2007.

-Os ríos pasan cheos de deus. Poesía relixiosa en galego, compiled by Victorino Pérez Prieto, Toxos Outos, 2007.

-O Traque da Quenlla, coordinated by Xosé Lois García and published by Xohán de Requeixo Cultural Association, Lugo, 2008.

-Non me afago sin ela, Xosé Estévez, (homage to his daughter, Alda Naiara Estévez Goñi), 2011.

 

D) Translations:

Translation into Spanish of O Macaco que quería ser gente, a traditional story collected by Margarida Cachada in Angora and published in several languages by Palpemunde, SMG, Lda- V.N. Famalicao, Guimaraes, 2009.

 

E) Prologues in:

-Xesús Negreira Blanco, Santo Domingo de La Calzada, onde cantou a galiña despois de asada, nº: 13 of "A Pinguela. Teatro escolar", Fervenza, A Estrada, 2004.

-Antonio Couceiro Freijomil, Cousiñas, Sociedade Filatélica de Arte e Humanidades "Eume", Pontedeume, 2005.

-José Juan Pérez Gómez, "Caramiñas", Sonatas (versos). Poesías recuperadas. Artigos. Editorial management: Antonio González Millán, Caixa Galicia, City Council of A Pobra do Caramiñal, Valle-Inclán Museum (A Pobra de Caramiñal), 2006.

 

F) Bibliography:

-ALONSO MONTERO, Xesús: Sobre a Poesía civil de Celso Emilio Ferreiro, Encrucillada, nº: 62, Santiago, 1989.

-ALONSO MONTERO, Xesús: Celso Emilio Ferreiro para os nenos, Consellería de Cultura e Deportes, Santiago, 1989.

-ARIAS, Valentín: Avelino Pousa Antelo. Galeguista, docente, cooperativista, escritor, político e animador cultural, of ‘Galegos na Historia’ Collection, Ir Indo (Biographies), Vigo, 2004.

-CELEIRO ÁLVAREZ, Luis: El escolar, El Faro de Veiga e La Voz de Ortigueira. Xunta de Galicia, Consellería de Presidencia e Administración Pública, 1989.

-CHAO REGO, Xosé: Fernández Abella, Xoán Xosé: Escolma de poemas, Edicións do Castro, 1990, Encrucillada nº: 69, Santiago, 1990.

-FERNÁNDEZ DEL RIEGO, Francisco: Diccionario de Escritores en Lingua Galega, Edicións do Castro, Sada, 1992.

-HORTAS VILANOVA, Manuel: Andando a Terra (1977-1987), A Nosa Terra, 1990 (pseudonym of Manuel María).

-LEIRA, Xan: Lembranzas e reflexións de Avelino Pousa Antelo, Acuarela Comunicación SL, 2009, (the DVD starts with a sonnet by Fernández Abella dedicated to Avelino Pousa Antelo).

-LEMA, X.M.: Xoán Xosé Fernández Abella: "Hai que perderlle o medo a poesía", El Periódico, Xallas-Barcala, May 2008.

-LIÑARES GIRAUT, X.: Amancio, Nas veas da diáspora. Xoán Xosé Fernández Abella, O Norte, 19/10/98, Negreira.

-LIÑARES GIRAUT, X.: Amancio and REY LAMA, Gonzalo. Maruxa na Casa-Museo de Rosalía. Lembrando a Maruxa Villanueva (1906-1998), Rosalía de Castro Foundation, Padrón, 1999.

-LIÑARES GIRAUT, X.: Amancio, Desde Fóra. Fernández Abella no Caramiñal, La Voz de Galicia, 30-07-2008, Barbanza-Muros-Noia edition.

-LÓPEZ LORENZO, Siro: Galicia. Poetas. Xoán Xosé Fernández Abella, La Voz de Galicia, 31/05/1986.

-MARÍN, Xaquín: Fernández Abella, Xoán Xosé, Gran Enciclopedia Galega, vol. 22, Santiago-Gijón, 1991.

-OTERO, David: Alexandre Bóveda. Na demanda de Restauración, Laiovento, 2008.

-PEREIRA, Víctor Campio: A Poesía de Fernández Abella, La Región, 22/01/2003, Ourense.

-PICALLO, Héitor: O meu primeiro diccionario, 7, Ttilirín e a poesía de hoxe, Fervenza, A Estrada, 2011.

-RAMOS, Lola: Retratos de cuerpo y alma, prologued by Camilo José Cela, L.R., 2002.

-TARRÍO VARELA, Anxo: Literatura Galega. Aportacións a unha historia crítica, Xerais, Vigo, 1994.

-VILAVEDRA, Dolores, (coord.) ed. al; Diccionario da literatura galega I autores, Galaxia, Vigo, 1995.

-VILAVEDRA, Dolores, (coord.) ed. al; Diccionario da literatura galega. II, Publicacións Periódicas , Galaxia, Vigo, 1997.

-SEVERAL AUTHORS: Quién es quién en la Galicia de los '90, El Correo Gallego, Santiago, 1993.

-SEVERAL AUTHORS: Autores lucenses actuais. Provincial delegation of the Consellería de Cultura and Publication Service of Lugo County Council, Lugo, 1994.

-SEVERAL AUTHORS: Informe de Literatura 1999. Xunta de Galicia, 2000.