(Sara Calvo de Mora Mármol)- This International Seminar has been a very interesting experience, full of key figures that have shown us new things about Ireland that I believe most of us did not know before. This year’s edition has been particularly powerful because of the presence of a Magdalene survivor, Gabrielle O’Gorman and I am glad and grateful to have had her with us, sharing her sad story. But for me, the highlight of the week’s interventions was, by all means, the presence of Irish authors such as Colette Bryce, Chris Lee and Eibhear Walshe. And even though I liked all of their works, the reading by Bryce was the one that I enjoyed the most; very grateful to Pilar and to EFACIS for bringing this amazing writer to Spain and for getting to know her work better.
(Lara Fernández Delgado)- I really enjoyed Colette Bryce’s reading. I love poetry and I feel very grateful when I have the chance to hear the author reciting her own work. Colette Bryce deals with a lot of interesting topics and the way she builds them in her poems is very inspiring. I also found very interesting the debate that took place after the reading. We talked about poetry and ideology and the way it can change consciousness. I want to thank the organizers and all funding institutions involved for making this seminar possible and for giving us the chance to learn about such an incredible culture. The cultural approach is the better way to get to know others and also ourselves.
(Miguel Ángel Expósito)- I am so pleased to be a student of Pilar Villar! She has been organizing this seminar for 4 consecutive editions, and I never miss any of her events! One of the best things is to have the opportunity to meet artists studied in class and getting to know them personally. Colette Bryce is not only an amazing poet, but also a deeply humane, sensitive character. Thanks to EFACIS for making this possible!
(Maeve Evelyn Reilly)- Colette Bryce’s reading was definitely a highlight in the whole week’s International Seminar. Colette reads beautifully with a soft but strong tone and with great sensitivity. We had a question time afterwards in which she interpreted her poems with us. She treats poetry as a non-didactic experience where she wishes to be true to herself. It was wonderful to listen to her read and hear her own interpretations of the poems and compare them to our own. I must say that I consider the seminar a total success. It was a very enjoyable experience for all involved. I truly appreciated meeting such interesting and accomplished people. It was very informative and motivating. Pilar was a great facilitator and the direction, along with the coordination and organization committee, did a wonderful job. They succeeded in bringing Irish culture to Granada and in highlighting the ‘otherness’ in Irish society.
(Claudia Hernández Linares)- The IV International Seminar on Irish Studies was a celebration of Ireland’s culture, arts and history through different events that took place in the University of Granada during 5 consecutive days. Thanks to all institutions involved, particularly to EFACIS and the Irish Embassy in Spain, and of course, thanks to the main organizers (mainly Pilar Villar and Encarni Hidalgo) for making this possible. As a student, the lectures were a unique opportunity to benefit from the knowledge of professionals and artists and apply it to my own work in the future. It was especially interesting that the attendees were so approachable; the event successfully combined formal instances like literary readings and academic presentations with other more informal ones like the Celtic music concert or the question rounds.
(Gülcin Demir)- On the second day of the seminar, we had the great opportunity of listening to Colette Bryce and ask her some questions throughout the poetry reading session. She was so nice! What truly impressed me by heart was her accessibility and modesty; and also the way she talked about the political conflict in the North, her family experiences and other aspects of life such as loneliness. Thanks a lot to Pilar and to the support granted by EFACIS, without which this could not have been possible.
(Jonatan Dale Prieto)- This International Seminar was an amazing experienced, as it allowed us to hear and interact with some of the authors we studied in class. The organisation was very good, and I think that the seminar should be continued the following years, as it is certainly the highlight of the whole MA programme. Thanks a lot to the main organizers of the event and especially to Pilar Villar Argáiz for organizing it.