La muerte es espejo roto
cada cristal diamante        tallado con tu sonrisa
con tu andar lento y pausado
y una mirada que habla paisajes verdes
meandros de juventud     cisnes blancos     acantilados.

La rueca de la memoria teje con hilos de ausencia
y mientras tú vuelas libre     pasado el umbral de piedra
este huso arremolina ensueños de libertad.

Acta 19 enero 2011

Not marble, nor the gilded monuments
Of princes shall outlive this powerful rhyme;
But you shall shine more bright in these contents
Than unswept stone besmeared with sluttish time.
When wasteful war shall statues overturn,
And broils root out the work of masonry,
Nor Mars his sword nor war's quick fire shall burn
The living record of your memory.
'Gainst death and all oblivious enmity
Shall your pace forth: your praise shall still find room
Even in the eyes of all posterity
That wear this world out to the ending doom.
So, till the judgement that yourself arise,

You live in this, and dwell in lovers' 

[Dalers’]

eyes

I met Maria a few years ago, when she was one of the doctoral course professors. Meeting her awoke something forgotten inside me, and literary words, verses of poetry and, of course, Virginia Woolf, made sense again after a long time of literary absent-mindedness. Maria imprinted a little of her poetic sensibility on me and a whole world opened up
After this first encounter, the unexpected twists and turns of life reunited us again and we came to work together. I was entrusted with the responsibility of being her eyes, to guide her through the university corridors or class chairs and comment exams, written assignments or e-mails with her. However, it was always Maria who, despite her difficulties, led my way, thanks to her memory, academic knowledge, inner strength and tenderness.
My words today can only thank her for those moments when we shared our future expectations and deeply felt worries. I tried to give her some comfort but I do feel that she helped me more than I did. Even in her darkest moments, Maria gave me the soundest advice and relentless support. She was always there, beside me, as I feel her today. On this decisive day, it is only fair that I honour Maria for her contribution to my work and for being my friend.
Let these words serve as a tribute to what she means for me, for her kind words, for her smile. Thank you, Maria, for everything that you shared with me.

Today is a day of celebration, Carme Farre, has defended her thesis. As we celebrate, I am aware that there is somebody who is missing: Maria O´Neill. In the last years of Maria’s work in the Faculty, Carme became Maria’s eyes, her constant academic helper and friend. I know Maria would have talked with Carme about her thesis and her aspirations in the same way that she helped so many around her in her quiet unassuming way. Today, Maria would have sat quietly in the audience transmitting courage and intellectual strength to Carme.
When I first met Maria, long years ago, I was aware that I was in the presence of a most extraordinary woman. She radiated peace, quietude, love and care for those around her. Her greatest gift to me over the years was that of patience, of assuming what life brought to one, not with resignation but with determination and courage. It is impossible for anybody who met her or who was gifted with her friendship not to be influenced by her quiet patience, her strength, her intellectual rigor as an academic, her talent as a teacher and her generosity as a colleague. The last time I saw her at a dinner, here in Lleida, we sat beside each other and her concern was not for her waning strength and vision, but for me as I was about to go into hospital. That was Maria: others came before herself. Locked in close conversation for the evening, she spoke to me quite frankly. “I have not long to go, there is a date set for me to go. You know Sue, there is no room in our lives for rancour, hatred and other petty things. Life is too short for everybody, too precious to be wasted on the unnecessary” Those words have stayed with me ever since.
Maria was and is one of those rare human beings who leave an ESTELA behind them, and she will remain with us always. Today as we celebrate Carme’s thesis we also celebrate Maria and her unique contribution to her Department, to those she helped and guided and, for those of us who were her friends, we celebrate the honour we had as such. “Tush” she would have said if she heard me now. “Tush” I say now: Maria thank you for your life and the many gifts you gave us throughout all those years. Maria: your presence is in this room as it is in our hearts as you continue to walk beside us towards our own horizon.

Who is this? and what is here?
And in the lighted palace near
Died the sound of royal cheer;
And they crossed themselves for fear,
            All the knights at Camelot:
But Lancelot mused a little space;
He said, "She has a lovely face;
God in his mercy lend her grace,
            The Lady of Shalott."


From The Lady of Shalott, by Alfred Tennyson

Las sesiones tuvieron lugar los días 6 y 7 de abril de 2011 en el Edificio Rectorado.

Programa

Dentro del programa de Cafè-i-Lletres que organiza la Facultad de Letras en la cafetería del Edificio Rectorado, se presentó una lectura dramatizada de textos en inglés en homenaje a Maria O’Neill. El acto tuvo lugar el 26 de mayo a las 20h.