Centre for Romanian Studies

Cruce Irlandeza contemporana cu Sf. Patrick

Sfantul PATRICK
(Hector McDonnell, Irlanda)

Patrick, cine esti Tu?
Te cautam prin versuri latinesti
Bezmetici prin noianul de nestiri

Cuvintele-ti ne scapa printre maini
Iar leaganul nu-ti este nicaieri
Erai in Mayo sau in Slemish Hill?
Si ce uriasi te-au strans la pieptul lor?

Aiurea,
L-ai strigat pe Dumnezeu
Ce-a coborat adanc in trupul tau
Sa-ti dea curaj sa-nvingi la drumuri noi

Care-a fost imparatul
Ce te-a-njosit? Unde-ai plecat?
Te cautam, dar inca nu te stim
Strajerii tai se uita-n varf de munti si-asteapta
Pasul tau.

(traducere de Constantin ROMAN, Feb. 2006)

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Original Poem in English:

PATRICK
(by Hector McDonnell, Ireland)

Who were you, Patrick?
We search along your Latin lines
Fumbling through fewer certainties

The names you give pass deftly through our touch,
Your village lives on no one’s map;
Were you in Mayo or was it Slemish hill
Did burly men press nipples to your lips?

Somewhere
you cried out to your half-known god
And saw him slide within your body’s frame
Talking to soothe and urge you on.

But who was then the emperor?
Who called you vile? Where did you go?
We cannot know, though even now
Your guardians watch within the mountain peaks
and wait.

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The Hon Hector McDonnell lives in Co. Antrim and the USA.
He is an intrepid traveller and a fine observer of the human nature, which he depicts on huge canvasses, as well as in his books on History. His paintings have been shown in England, Ireland, Germany, the US and elsewhere, where they were acquired by private collectors, public galleries and museums worldwide.
But above all Hector is a polymath and a witt with a great zest for life, a splendid friend and a consumate cordon bleu cook; all in all – the epithome of Ireland at its best.
He was educated at Eton and at the Fine Arts Schools in England and Germany. He speaks several European languages and is the author of several books of Irish interest.
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Hector McDonnell, fiul mezin al contelui de Antrim locuieste in Judetul Antrim (Irlanda de Nord) si in SUA. El este un calator inveterat, dar mai ales un adanc cunoscator al conditiei umane, pe care o prezinta in niste picturi de mari dimensiuni, ca si in paginile cartilor lui de istorie. Picturile lui au facut obiectul unor expozitii personale din Anglia, Irlanda, Germania, Statele Unite si din alte tari, unde au fost achizitionate de colectionari particulari, de galerii si de muzee din intreaga lume.
Dar mai presus de ori si ce, Hector eate un “Om al Renasterii”, un polimat cu un simt al umorului foarte acut, demonstrand o mare “joie de vivre”. El este un amic fidel si un bucatar rafinat – de fapt, prin toate aceste calitati, Hector reprezinta, chintesenta spiritului autentic Irlandez.
Hector a studiat la celebrul colegiu Eton si la scolile de Belle Arte din Anglia si Germania si converseaza, bine inteles, in mai multe limbi europene. El este autorul a mai multor carti de istorie a Irlandei, o tara unde stramosii lui au facut istorie si au influentat chiar istoria de-a lungul unor veacuri zbuciumate al intregului mileniu care a trecut.