ILLUSTRIOUS PEOPLE

Throughout the years there have been many famous people born in Ribadavia and the Ribeiro region. The following section will include a brief description of each person.

Literature and Journalism

FRAY TOMÁS DE LEMOS

This Dominican monk was born in Ribadavia on the 24th December 1559 and he studdied humanities and grammar in his native town before going to Salamanca to study civil law and canon law. As a priest, he practised in the convent of Santo Domingo in 1598.
He completed his education in San Gregorio College en Valladolid, where he obtained the title of Master of Theology. He taught theology in the University of Valladolid.
Felipe III offered him two bishoprics which he refused, and Paulo V named him General Consultant.
He died on 23rd August 1629. Amongst his numerous works 4 stand out from the rest.


LEOPOLDO MERUENDANO ARIAS

He was born in Ribadavia of 16th February in 1845. He began studying eclesiastical studies, and gained a degree in theology, and then went on to study law in Santiago. As a lawyer he returned to his home town of Ribadavia where he practised until his death in 1920.
As well as being Mayor of Ribadavia for more than six years (after his death they named a street after him and unveiled a plaque), he also worked in collaboration with various Galician newspapers and magazines, publishing many historical studies about Ribadavia, the most well known being: “La Virgen del Portal de Ribadavia y su capilla”, “Origen y vicisitudes de las cuatro parroquias de la villa de Ribadavia, de sus conventos y de los hospitales de la misma”, “Los judíos en Ribadavia”, “Apuntes históricos sobre la vida, trabajo y escritos del insigne Fray Tomás de Lemos”, etc..


URBANO FERREIROA

Ferreiroa was born in the Parish of San Felíx de Navio on 30th September 1845. After studying religion in Ourense, he spent many years in Rome where he compiled his most famous works, including, “Historia Apologética de los Papas”; and “El primer perseguidor de los cristianos”.
He also edited and collaborated with various magazines.
In Valencia he founded the respected magazine “Soluciones Católicas”.
He was a member of the Philosophical Academy of Santo Tomás in Bologna, the Academy of “los Arcades” in Roma, and to the Royal Historical Academy in Madrid.
He died in his native town on the 21st February 1901.


CELEDINIO OSORIO LA FUENTE

He was born in San Esteban de Castrelo de Miño on 17th February 1847. He studied in Ourense, where he passed a course in Sacred Theology.
Working in collaboration with Doctor Don Venancio Moreno Pablos y de Don Urbano Ferreiroa, he founded the twice-weekly newspaper “La Nacionalidad”.
In the University of Madrid he obtained a degree in law.
He dedicated his life to journalism, and became a spokesman of Catholic ideas during the revolutionary period.
In the magazine “Soluciones Católicas”, he published a series of monographs of XIX century philosophers, showing his analytical skills as well as his profound literary and philosophical knowledge.
He died in Ourense on the 8th February 1899.


GUMERSINDO BUJÁN

A respected writer from Ribadavia, he studied at a school in Celanova and was one of the most talented students in his class.
He studied law in Madrid and enrolled in the legal system and became the Crown Prosecutor in the Courts of Carballino, Ribadavia, Ginzo, Sarriá.
He became a judge in the Courts of Cañiza, Corcubión, Viana del Bollo, Astorga, Plasencia, Celanova, Tuy y Vigo, and is remembered for his competence and his spirit of justice.
He was appointed Crown Prosecutor of Ourense, and later Magistrate of Badajoz, Salamanca and Burgos.
He studied the legal system in Galicia, and wrote, amongst others, “Rendición forzosa de los foros al dominio directo”, published in the Daily newspaper “Diario del Miño” in 1900.


ELADIO RODRÍGUEZ GONZÁLEZ

He was born in San Clodio on the 27th July 1864. He spent his youth in his native village, and references to the Ribeiro are always present in his work.
He moved to A Coruña where he worked as a civil servant until his retirement.
He collaborated with a number of newspapers and magazines (Revista Gallega, Galicia, and produced the daily papers, “La Mañana” and “El Noroeste”. “El Noroeste” included a cultural supplement.
Many of his works, including, ”Os Orfos da Emigración”, “ Desperta”, “Sombras”, “Paisaxes” etc., were awarded special prizes.
He was the author of the Galician-Castilian encyclopaedic dictionary. In addition he was one of the forty founding members of the Royal Galician Academy and between 1926 and 1934 he was secretary and president.
He died in A Coruña in 1949.


SAMUEL EIJÁN LORENZO

Nació en San Clodio el 10 de Mayo de 1876.
Perteneció a la orden franciscana y recibió el sacramento sacerdotal en Septiembre de 1899.
Ocupó importantes cargos dentro de su institución religiosa: superior del convento del Santo Sepulcro en Jerusalén; procurador general de Tierra Santa; definidor provincial; ministro provincial y custodio de la provincia.
Fue miembro correspondiente del Instituto Histórico do Minho; numerario de la Real Academia Gallega; miembro nato de la Junta del Patronato de la Obra Pia de los Santos Lugares y caballero comendador con placa de la orden de Isabel La Católica.
Su obra es muy extensa y abarca prácticamente todos los géneros literarios: poesía, narrativa, teatro.....
Desarrolló un gran labor periodística como colaborador de revistas y director de “El Eco Franciscano”.
Entre sus obras cabe destacar: “Notas Ribadavienses: los franciscanos en Ribadavia”; “Historia de Ribadavia y sus alrededores”, entre muchas otras.
Murió en Santiago en 1945.


MANUEL FERNÁNDEZ MENÉNDEZ

Nació en Ribadavia en 1888.Fue el traductor, a esa lengua, de Ariel, “el sermón laico”del gran ensayista urugayo José Enrique Rodó.
Murió en Montevideo en 1974.

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