Manuel Rodriguez Lopez

• Name — Manuel Oreste Rodríguez López • Born — 11 December 1934 • Birthplace — Paradela, Lugo • Died — 13 February 1990 • Place of death — Lugo • Resting Place — Paradela • Education — Minor Seminary of Tiana and Major Seminary of Barcelona • Known for — Poetry and Prose • Notable Works — "Galegos en Catalunya" I (1983) and II (1985), "Soldada Minima" (1979), "Viaxes con Anxel Fole" (1988) • Spouse — Irene Lopez Gomez (O Paramo) • Children — Enrique (1963), Santiago (1971) • Awards — Various Literary awards (see article)

Manuel Rodríguez López was born in 1934 in a hamlet near Paradela in the province of Lugo. When he was six years old, he moved to Barcelona, and in 1987, he returned to Lugo. He studied Philosophy and Humanities at the Diocesan Seminary of Barcelona from 1946 to 1952. He then studied accounting and labour legislation. He worked as the head of the department of administrative staff in a motorcycle industry (OSSA). He married Irene Lopez Gomez (O Páramo), and fathered two sons. He died from a stroke in Lugo in 1990. Throughout his life he showed great concern for culture and Galicia during his long emigration in Catalonia, where he became the chronicler of all acts related to Galicia celebrated in Catalonia, as once established in Lugo. Manuel Rodriguez Lopez was awarded in numerous literary contests. Highlights include the first awards for poetry ‘Meigas e Trasgos’ of Sarria in the years 1976 and 1980, the ‘Prize José M ª Chao Ledo’ in the III the Literary Contest of Vilalba, in 1977, and the first prize in the Literary Contest of Begonte in 1985. In prose, he won the first prize for ‘Nos’ (Barcelona) in 1980. In Sarria, two of his stories won the prize ‘Meigas e Trasgos’ in 1977 and 1986. In Barakaldo he won a prize in 1978. In 1985 and 1987 he was a finalist in the Features section in the Journalism Awards of Galicia. Several songs were composed based on several of his poems by Suso Vaamonde, Xerardo Moscoso, Alfredo González Vilela and Mary C. Otero Rolle. In the year of his death (1990), he was posthumously named "Fillo Predilecto de Paradela" and "Lucense do ano 1989".

In 1990, the first Centro Socio-cultural centre was unveiled in Paradela, then to be relocated to what is now the centre in 2001. • Illustration — Socio-Cultural Centre named after Manuel Oreste Rodríguez López in Paradela The Socio-Cultural Centre currently houses a library, computer facilities and a usable hall, which the community is free to use. The Literary contest named after him has been held there yearly since 1995. This contest is run by Paradela Town Council and reached the 17th Edition in 2012. • Illustration — Library at the Socio-Cultural Centre dedicated to Manuel Rodriguez Lopez

• Poemas populares galegos (1968) • Saudade no bulleiro (1970) • Soldada mínima (1979) • Onte e hoxe vivencial (1995) • A Atlántida (1995), translation from Catalan to Galician of the book by Jacint Verdaguer. • Manuel Rodríguez López. Poesía completa (2009) • Manuel Rodríguez López. Antoloxía Poética (2014)

• Reencontro coa aldea (1983) • Galegos en Catalunya 1978–1982 (1983) • Galegos en Catalunya-2 (1985) • Viaxes con Ánxel Fole (1988) • Festa da Virxe das Dores de Paradela 1989 (1989) • Volta a España a pé (1990), translation from Spanish to Galician of the book by Manolo Silva

• Lugueses (2020) • Semblanzas de galegos ilustres (2020) • Vacacions en Galicia: Vivir Galicia (2020) • Vivimos unha longa traxedia (peza teatral) (2020)

• Homaxe ó Che (1970) • A Nosa Terra from "Libro de Oro", in the 100th anniversary of Ramón Cabanillas) (1976) • Homenaxe multinacional a Castelao (1976) • Galicia no ano 1979 (1979) • José Mª Acuña (1983) • Os escritores lucenses arredor de Fole (1986) • Voces poéticas (1987) • Paradela y su concello (1990) • Aliad-Ultreia. Poesía. Pintura (1993)