Ronald Després

1935-

Ronald Després (Acadian poet, novelist, playwright, interpreter, journalist, and musician) was born on 7 November 1935 in Moncton, New Brunswick. He attended St. Joseph College of Memramcook (1949-1952) and Assomption College of Moncton (1952-1953). He then graduated with honours (BA) from St. Anne College (Pointe-de-l’Église) in 1955 before proceeding to study music and philosophy at the University of Paris, where he obtained his Licentiate in Philosophy in 1956. Després became a journalist for the Acadian newspaper L’Évangéline from 1956 to 1957. Després then went to Ottawa to work as a translator of House of Commons debates (1957-1962). In 1977 he became the senior interpreter in Parliament, where he remained until his retirement almost twenty years later. Després wrote seven pieces of short fiction which were published in L’Évangéline between 1956 and 1962. His first collection of poetry, Silences à nourrir de sang was published in 1958, winning Québec’s Prix David. Four years later, Després published his only novel, Le Scalpel ininterrompu: Journal du docteur Jan von Fries (1962). His novel was followed by his second collection of poetry, Les cloisons en vertige (1962). A third collection of poetry, Le balcon des dieux inachevés appeared in 1968, while a selection of poems entitled Paysages en contrebande… À la frontière du songe: Choix de poèmes was published by Éditions d’Acadie in 1974.

Predominant New Brunswick Residences:

Moncton

Archival Material

• Fonds Ronald Després
  ⌄
  Location

  Centre d'études acadiennes Anselme-Chiasson

  Retrieval Number

  250