John Fitzgerald (poet)
Encyclopedia
Fr John Fitzgerald was a Carmelite priest, poet and philosopher.
and made it the language of his religious, intellectual and social life. He was born Michael FitzGerald in Ludlow
, Shropshire
in 1927 to parents from County Kerry
and spent his childhood in Chesterfield
and Sheffield
.
At the age of 13, he was sent as a boarder to Coleg Mair, a small Catholic seminary housed in Castell Brychan, Aberystwyth
. He had the great good fortune to be taught Welsh there by Saunders Lewis
, the dramatist and poet who had lost his lecturer's post at University College, Swansea, following an act of arson at an RAF bombing school that was under construction. FitzGerald remained in close touch with Lewis until the latter's death in 1985, dedicating his first book of poetry "i SL am agor drws a ffenestri", "to SL for opening a door and windows".
He published two volumes of verse, Cadwyn Cenedl ("A nation's chain", 1969) and Grawn Gwirionedd ("Grapes of truth", 2006). The second contains all the poems in the first as well as about 30 others and was longlisted for the Welsh Assembly's Literature Prize in 2007. Many of his poems are devotional but he also found inspiration in the nature, people and music. In his obituary in The Independent
, Meic Stephens highlights a poem "I'm gwraig" where he purports to address his "wife" although he concludes his poem "Perhaps I should note that I'm not married". According to Meic Stephens, he had 'a talent for writing verse of a very high order'.
From 1942, when he took the name John, to 1948, FitzGerald was a novitiate with the Carmelites in Ireland. At University College, Dublin, he began by reading Welsh in the department headed by Professor John Lloyd-Jones who advised him to switch to Greek and Latin and he graduated with a first in Classics
in 1946. FitzGerald studied in Dublin for another four years and was ordained priest in 1951. This was followed by a year studying Theology
in Rome and a further three reading Classics at Christ College, Cambridge.
He returned to live in Wales in 1953 and was appointed to the staff of Coleg Mair (by then moved to Tre-gib in Carmarthenshire
). Although he had already written poems in English, he now turned to Welsh, working with the Carmarthenshire dialect and mastering the intricate rules of Welsh prosody.
After three years the college was moved to Cheltenham, where Fitzgerald taught Philosophy to Carmelite seminarians until 1964. He was then appointed Chaplain to Catholic students at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, and six years later to a lectureship in the Department of Philosophy. When the Philosophy Department at Aberystwyth was 'rationalized' in 1993 (i.e. closed) he ceased to teach through the medium of English although continuing to teach Philosophy in the Department of Welsh. In 2004 the Carmelite Order moved him to the post of Prior of Llanelli.
He was the major force in translating the Latin Mass into the Welsh vernacular following the Second Vatican Council
. In 1998 he was also a member of the ecumenical panel which produced a new translation of the Bible into Welsh. In addition to Welsh, John FitzGerald learnt Irish and Basque. He translated from Greek both ancient and modern, including Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics and poems by Sappho
and Cavafy.
In literary circles he was known as 'Ieuan Hir' and at 6" 4' (195 cm) he towered over any company. His vows meant that he owned only the most modest of cars and in later years a frequent sight in Aberystwyth
was his giant frame implausibly squeezed into the smallest model on the market.
Life
John FitzGerald was a Carmelite monk and priest of Irish parentage, brought up in England, who learned WelshWelsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
and made it the language of his religious, intellectual and social life. He was born Michael FitzGerald in Ludlow
Ludlow
Ludlow is a market town in Shropshire, England close to the Welsh border and in the Welsh Marches. It lies within a bend of the River Teme, on its eastern bank, forming an area of and centred on a small hill. Atop this hill is the site of Ludlow Castle and the market place...
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
in 1927 to parents from County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
and spent his childhood in Chesterfield
Chesterfield
Chesterfield is a market town and a borough of Derbyshire, England. It lies north of Derby, on a confluence of the rivers Rother and Hipper. Its population is 70,260 , making it Derbyshire's largest town...
and Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
.
At the age of 13, he was sent as a boarder to Coleg Mair, a small Catholic seminary housed in Castell Brychan, Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
. He had the great good fortune to be taught Welsh there by Saunders Lewis
Saunders Lewis
Saunders Lewis was a Welsh poet, dramatist, historian, literary critic, and political activist. He was a prominent Welsh nationalist and a founder of the Welsh National Party...
, the dramatist and poet who had lost his lecturer's post at University College, Swansea, following an act of arson at an RAF bombing school that was under construction. FitzGerald remained in close touch with Lewis until the latter's death in 1985, dedicating his first book of poetry "i SL am agor drws a ffenestri", "to SL for opening a door and windows".
He published two volumes of verse, Cadwyn Cenedl ("A nation's chain", 1969) and Grawn Gwirionedd ("Grapes of truth", 2006). The second contains all the poems in the first as well as about 30 others and was longlisted for the Welsh Assembly's Literature Prize in 2007. Many of his poems are devotional but he also found inspiration in the nature, people and music. In his obituary in The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
, Meic Stephens highlights a poem "I'm gwraig" where he purports to address his "wife" although he concludes his poem "Perhaps I should note that I'm not married". According to Meic Stephens, he had 'a talent for writing verse of a very high order'.
From 1942, when he took the name John, to 1948, FitzGerald was a novitiate with the Carmelites in Ireland. At University College, Dublin, he began by reading Welsh in the department headed by Professor John Lloyd-Jones who advised him to switch to Greek and Latin and he graduated with a first in Classics
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
in 1946. FitzGerald studied in Dublin for another four years and was ordained priest in 1951. This was followed by a year studying Theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
in Rome and a further three reading Classics at Christ College, Cambridge.
He returned to live in Wales in 1953 and was appointed to the staff of Coleg Mair (by then moved to Tre-gib in Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...
). Although he had already written poems in English, he now turned to Welsh, working with the Carmarthenshire dialect and mastering the intricate rules of Welsh prosody.
After three years the college was moved to Cheltenham, where Fitzgerald taught Philosophy to Carmelite seminarians until 1964. He was then appointed Chaplain to Catholic students at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, and six years later to a lectureship in the Department of Philosophy. When the Philosophy Department at Aberystwyth was 'rationalized' in 1993 (i.e. closed) he ceased to teach through the medium of English although continuing to teach Philosophy in the Department of Welsh. In 2004 the Carmelite Order moved him to the post of Prior of Llanelli.
He was the major force in translating the Latin Mass into the Welsh vernacular following the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
. In 1998 he was also a member of the ecumenical panel which produced a new translation of the Bible into Welsh. In addition to Welsh, John FitzGerald learnt Irish and Basque. He translated from Greek both ancient and modern, including Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics and poems by Sappho
Sappho
Sappho was an Ancient Greek poet, born on the island of Lesbos. Later Greeks included her in the list of nine lyric poets. Her birth was sometime between 630 and 612 BC, and it is said that she died around 570 BC, but little is known for certain about her life...
and Cavafy.
In literary circles he was known as 'Ieuan Hir' and at 6" 4' (195 cm) he towered over any company. His vows meant that he owned only the most modest of cars and in later years a frequent sight in Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
was his giant frame implausibly squeezed into the smallest model on the market.