The military uprising of July 1936 found Cunqueiro in Mondoñedo, and thanks to the influence of his conservative family, he was not subjected to reprisals, and was able to find work as a teacher in a private school in Ortigueira from October 1936 onwards.
A sublevación dos militares sorprendeu a Cunqueiro en Mondoñedo, e por influencia da súa familia, moi conservadora, non foi obxecto de represalias e conseguiu praza de profesor nunha escola privada en Ortigueira, á que chegou en outubro de 1936.