Careless Love
Donagh MacDonagh
Above and below ‘Careless Love‘ written By Donagh MacDonagh 1960/63. Joan Wilson, Ester O’Brolchain with guest dancer Donald MacAlpine – Music A.J.Potter – Choreography Patricia Ryan – Costumes Patricia Ryan- Set design John Ryan © Jasper D. O’Callaghan
Ester O’Brolchain, Joan Wilson and guest dancer Donald MacAlpine in Careless Love by Donagh MacDonagh Choreography Patricia Ryan ©Jasper D. O’Callaghan
Careless Love first performed in April 1960.
Above and below 1960 Careless Love By Donagh MacDonagh – with Joan Wilson and guest dancer Donald MacAlpine. Music A.J.Potter – Choreography Patricia Ryan – Set design John Ryan Photo © Jasper D. O’Callaghan
“‘Whatever one is to make of this curious plot, it seems clear that MacDonagh and his collaborators intended the ballet to convey a number of subversive subtexts about contemporary Ireland.
This conclusion seems inescapable, if one considers just how sensitive the subject of sexual morality in general and of irregular sexual conduct in particular were at this period, when the Catholic Church exercised a baneful and repressive influence on every aspect of social life.
In Ireland of the 1950s an 1960s, contraception was unavailable , divorce was impossible and the draconian mores of the period frowned on all forms of sexual activity except heterosexual intercourse, which could only be engaged in by married couples for the purposes of procreation. If a young woman was unfortunate enough to become pregnant out of wedlock, she was frequently left with little choice but to emigrate.”