Trinity Centre for Literary and Cultural Translation Newsletter 2018–2019 Dear friends, Trinity Centre for Literary and Cultural Translation has enjoyed its busiest year yet, with an exciting programme of readings, workshops, seminars and performances. We have welcomed leading translators, writers and scholars from across the world to our home at 36 Fenian Street: from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Georgia, Japan, Nigeria and Taiwan. As part of our mission to broaden Irish cultural engagement with Europe, we hosted seminars and readings with translators and writers from Catalonia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia and Spain. In October, we were honoured to welcome the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, to the Centre and, in July, His Imperial Majesty, The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II visited. Both generously acknowledged the crucial role of translation in contemporary cultural and political exchange. The continuing success of our MPhil in Literary Translation, the establishment of an all-Ireland translation studies network, the creation of a Trinity translation studies reading group, the excitement generated by our many events, and the enthusiasm of our book club meetings devoted to translated literature, are all evidence of a busy, engaging and productive year at the Centre. We are delighted to have been included in Trinity’s Inspiring Generations philanthropy campaign – you can read more about this on page 16. Our continued aim – in co-operation with our partners Literature Ireland and Dalkey Archive Press – is to inspire present and future generations towards a deep and generous engagement with the literatures and languages of the world. We hope you enjoy reading our annual Newsletter, which gives a summary of events at the Centre over the last year, and we look forward to welcoming many of you to the Centre in the coming months. Prof. Michael Cronin Director Newsletter 2018–2019 August 2018 September 2018 Rhyme and Rhythm: Irish poetry Translation Studies in Japanese translation Network of Ireland L–R: Hitomi Nakamura, Robert Ó’Móchain, Seán Whelan Literature Ireland hosted a bilingual poetry evening with Robert Ó’Móchain and Hitomi Nakamura, both of Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto. They read from the work of Back row L–R: James Hadley, Helena Buffery, Joss Moorkens, Katie Ni Loingshigh, Ana Guerberof, Pat Cadwell, Felix do Carmo. some of Ireland’s best-known poets – W.B. Yeats, Patrick Middle row: Eoin McEvoy, Laoighseach Ni Choistealbha, Riona Ni Kavanagh and Seamus Heaney – in English and Japanese, Fhriguil, Anne O’Connor, Siobhan Donovan, Rachel McNicholl, Aine accompanied by Seán Whelan on the mandolin. McGillicuddy, Mary Phelan, David Johnston, Sharon O’Brien, Sabine Kropp, Michael Cronin, Neil Sadler. Front row: Pilar Alderete, Carla Parra Escartin, Lucia Pintado Gutiérrez, Dorothy Kenny Translation Prize We invited colleagues from across the island of Ireland In August 2018, Allen Young was to a meeting to discuss setting up a Translation Studies awarded the Queen Sofía Spanish Network of Ireland (TSNI). The aim of this network Institute Translation Prize for is to provide a supportive environment for scholars his translation of Losing Is What pursuing research topics in translation studies. Matters by Manuel Pérez Subirana, Dublin City University, University College Cork, University published by Dalkey Archive College Dublin, NUI Galway, Maynooth University, Queen’s Press. Dr Young was selected University Belfast, Galway-Mayo IT and Trinity were all from a shortlist which included well represented, along with independent researchers. translators of four other Dalkey titles. We are now looking forward to hosting the first annual conference of the Translation Studies Network of Ireland at Trinity on Friday, 18 October 2019, on The Future of Translation September 2018 in Ireland. Michael Marrak German fantasy writer Michael New Writing from Ireland Marrak visited the Centre for Literature Ireland published its a reading from his novella, Die annual catalogue, New Writing from Reise zum Mittelpunkt der Zeit Ireland, featuring 64 titles of fiction, (Journey to the Centre of Time). non-fiction, poetry and children’s The work was commissioned literature. The catalogue is distributed by the Goethe-Institut to to international publishers and celebrate its re-opening in Michael Marrak, Rachel displayed at events, festivals, book Merrion Square after a major McNicholl fairs and embassies around the world refurbishment project. Rachel to encourage translations of Irish McNicholl translated the text literature. Copies were also given to the into English and she gave some almost 400 delegates who attended the excellent examples of the International Association for the Study linguistic challenges she faced. of Irish Literatures (IASIL) conference at Trinity in July 2019. 2 Trinity Centre for Literary and Cultural Translation Culture Night, September 2018 ‘First Lines’ – Portraits of Irish Terry Pratchett at the Unseen Writers University Our year got off to a lively start in September when we took part in Dublin Culture Night. Over the course of the evening, almost 350 people dropped in to help us celebrate Trinity’s special relationship with fantasy author, Terry Pratchett. In a unique inter-faculty collaboration, library L–R: Mike McCormack, Sinéad Mac Aodha, John Minihan cataloguers illustrated the In September, Mike McCormack – 2018 winner of the difficulties associated with International Dublin Literary Award – launched Literature cataloguing Pratchett’s work; Ireland’s third series of author portraits by acclaimed Trinity Centre for Literary and photographer John Minihan. Printed as postcards, Cultural Translation looked ‘First Lines’ feature Colin Barrett, Sara Baume, Gavin how Pratchett’s quirky sense of Corbett, Rob Doyle, Audrey Magee, Mike McCormack, humour went global; scholars Lisa McInerney, Danielle McLaughlin, Alan McMonagle, from Children’s Literature Paul McVeigh, Conor O’Callaghan and Sally Rooney. The delved into Pratchett’s writing postcards are distributed internationally to promote for young readers; partners the visibility of Irish writers and to help open up new L–R: Jane Carroll, John from the Trinity Centre for McManus, James Hadley opportunities – such as translations and festival Digital Humanities showed invitations – for Irish writers on the world stage. how the Discworld can be represented using computers; and, recalling Pratchett’s life October 2018 with Alzheimer’s disease, researchers from Trinity Brain Máirtín Ó Direáin Health and the Alzheimer Literature Ireland co-hosted a conference with Cló Iar- Society of Ireland myth-busted Chonnacht and Trinity’s Scoil na Gaeilge to commemorate dementia and explained the life and work of poet Máirtín Ó Direáin. Two L–R: Helen Rochford-Brennan, how “It is possible to live books were launched: Máirtín Ó Direáin: Rogha Dánta Sabina Brennan well with dementia and write / Selected Poems – translated by Frank Sewell, and best-sellers ‘like wot I do’.” Altanna agus Dánta ó Ar Aghaidh. To mark the occasion, Speakers included Dr Literature Ireland commissioned translations of an Ó Christoph Schmidt-Supprian Direáin poem into Arabic, Chinese, German, Italian, and John McManus from Japanese, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish, several Trinity Library, Dr Jennifer of which were read aloud during the conference. Edmond of Trinity Centre for Digital Humanities, Dr Sabina Brennan, Dr Máire L–R: James Hadley, Brophy, Gary Munnelly and Christoph Schmidt-Supprian Dr Séamus Lawless from Trinity’s ADAPT Centre, Dr Jane Carroll, Trinity School of English, Helen Rochford- Brennan from the Alzheimer Sinéad Mac Aodha Máirtín Ó Direáin Society of Ireland and Dr James Hadley from the Centre. 3 Newsletter 2018–2019 October 2018 President Michael D. Higgins L–R: Dr Patrick Prendergast, Provost of Trinity College; Prof. Michael Cronin; President Michael D. Higgins; Sinéad Mac Aodha, Director of Literature Ireland; Prof. Enrico Terrinoni Literature Ireland launched the Italian translation of a selection of speeches by Michael D. Higgins, Women and Men of Ireland: Speeches on Revolution (Donne e Uomini d’Irlanda: Discorsi sulla Rivoluzione). We were honoured to welcome the President to the Centre, with his translator, Prof. Enrico Terrinoni, and to hear him speak of the importance of intercultural contact and exchange, and of the crucial role played by literary translators in achieving this. L–R: Andrew Deering, Katrin Meyfarth, Florence McDonald and Rita McCann at the launch October 2018 Arturo Fontaine Talavera Arturo Fontaine is a writer and professor of philosophy at the Universidad de Chile. He is also a director of the Museum of Memory and Human Rights, dedicated to the victims of human rights violations committed under the Pinochet dictatorship. We welcomed Arturo for a reading and discussion about his work with Dr Dominic Moran, Christ Church, Oxford, Dr Ciaran Cosgrove, Fellow Emeritus and former Head of Hispanic Studies at Trinity, and Prof. Aileen Douglas, Trinity School of English. L–R: Dominic Moran; Arturo Fontaine; Aileen Douglas; Ciaran Cosgrove 4 Trinity Centre for Literary and Cultural Translation October 2018 November 2018 November 2018 Christopher Kloeble Edy Poppy Mario Praz’s Legacy Christopher Kloeble L–R: Else Berit Eikeland, Norwegian L–R: Phyllis Gaffney, Michael Cronin, Ambassador to Ireland; Edy Poppy, Katrin Giuliana Adamo, Marco Sonzogni Meyfarth German novelist and scriptwriter