To quote Placid Murray, OSB, Glenstal Abbey, life long scholar of Newman on whom he has written numerous books and uncle of my husband John Philip Murray. Placid and I exchange emails frequently. He celebrated his 100th birthday a few weeks ago, and sent me this email last night:
'Dear Bernadette,
Congratulations on this new honour. May it be a source of peace, goodwill and mutual understanding between our tiny country and the huge place which is called India.'
I know that my poetry touched a few hearts last evening and to me this is the greatest prize of all.
A heartfelt thanks to Sri Somnath Chatterjee, Counsellor, Embassy of India in Dublin and Dr. K. Sreenivasarao, Secretary Sahitya Akademi, Delhi for having the openness to invite me to read. A special thanks to all those who gave of their time to listen in Delhi and online in Ireland and elsewhere.
Dr. Chandra Mohan joined me for tea and a chat beforehand providing a calming preamble to the reading.
I was honoured to have the respected poetry and prose writer Sri Keki N. Daruwalla chair the event.
It was a pleasure to meet Brian McElduff, the Irish Ambassador to India.
Mangalesh Dabral read three of my poems which he had translated into Hindi.
After the reading I met with many writers and Dr. Devendra Choubey, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University and his students of Irish studies.
I look forward to further collaborations with my Indian 'cousins'.
Link to photos and press release on Sahitya Akademi Facebook Page and recording of event on YouTube.
'Dear Bernadette,
Congratulations on this new honour. May it be a source of peace, goodwill and mutual understanding between our tiny country and the huge place which is called India.'
I know that my poetry touched a few hearts last evening and to me this is the greatest prize of all.
A heartfelt thanks to Sri Somnath Chatterjee, Counsellor, Embassy of India in Dublin and Dr. K. Sreenivasarao, Secretary Sahitya Akademi, Delhi for having the openness to invite me to read. A special thanks to all those who gave of their time to listen in Delhi and online in Ireland and elsewhere.
Dr. Chandra Mohan joined me for tea and a chat beforehand providing a calming preamble to the reading.
I was honoured to have the respected poetry and prose writer Sri Keki N. Daruwalla chair the event.
It was a pleasure to meet Brian McElduff, the Irish Ambassador to India.
Mangalesh Dabral read three of my poems which he had translated into Hindi.
After the reading I met with many writers and Dr. Devendra Choubey, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University and his students of Irish studies.
I look forward to further collaborations with my Indian 'cousins'.
Link to photos and press release on Sahitya Akademi Facebook Page and recording of event on YouTube.
