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Irish Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Ballet Go Backwards – Frank McNally on Patrick Kavanagh's short-lived career as a dance librettist
Patrick Kavanagh is famous for once not attending a dance: a céilí at Billy Brennan's barn in Inniskeen, circa 1930, from which he was exiled by poetic pride or (more likely) the lack of fourpence for a ticket in. Much less remembered now is a dance event he did attend: a ballet at the Queen's Theatre Dublin in 1961, at which he wore a black tie and bestrode the stage, proclaiming himself the work's author. This strange incident came about because of another surprising phenomenon little remembered today – the emergence in a culturally benighted Dublin of the late 1950s of one National Ballet Company, inspired by and emulating the standards of the great Russian troupes. Its artistic director was Patricia Ryan, unhappy wife of John Ryan, the artist and publisher who was a friend to many of Ireland's leading writers then. READ MORE She had studied in London under the celebrated St Petersburg ballerina Nadine Legat, who encouraged her first to teach at, and then run, a Dublin school. At the height of her subsequent success, Ryan commissioned several original works, scored by AJ Potter with various librettists. Among the writers approached to contribute was Samuel Beckett , who declined politely. Kavanagh agreed, for a fee of between £50-£100, although the work then had to be forced out of him over a period, at a pub the Ryans owned and he frequented, with supplementary payments in kind. According to Antoinette Quinn, Kavanagh's biographer, he wrote it 'in dribs and drabs on scraps of paper which he doled out to Patricia Ryan in the Bailey over a couple of months in exchange for doubles of ten-year-old Jameson'. His chosen motif was betting – something he did every day on horses - but in this case borrowing the metaphor of roulette and applying it to a theme of love. Gamble No Gamble, as the piece was called, featured three female archetypes in the colours black, red and white. And not least of the production's challenges was that the performers had to dance on a moving roulette wheel. The Irish Times reviewer found little originality in Kavanagh's plot: 'Its theme seemed to be that man is born to trouble, and ... that man's trouble is mainly women.' But the cast and production were highly praised, and the show was a triumph, in the glory of which the writer - after initial reluctance to attend – happily basked. When Patricia Ryan invited Kavanagh to the premiere, he scoffed (as quoted by Quinn): 'What would I be doin' lookin' at a bunch of wimmen leppin' around the stage?' Then he astonished Ryan by turning up in evening dress. At the end of the performance, 'he and an equally footless Archie Potter were steered on to the stage to take a curtain call, whereupon Kavanagh proceeded to address the audience at length, referring to ... 'my ballet' and taking all the credit for himself. Luckily, Patricia Ryan had a sense of humour.' Ryan went on to organise a weeklong ballet festival in 1962, including performers from the Soviet Union. Catholic fundamentalists picketed the Olympia Theatre in protest at the visitors from 'Godless' Russia. But that event too was a big success, with full houses and standing ovations. Unable to beat them, the Legion of Mary invited the production, Russians included, for religious-themed peace talks over tea and a céilí. The ballet company was struggling with costs and administration, however, a battle for which Ryan felt unqualified. Despite being beautiful, talented and wealthy, she had always been prone to self-doubt. A reluctant teacher and then artistic director, she now felt that in running the operation, she was illustrating the Peter Principle, whereby people are doomed to rise to their level of incompetence. The National Ballet Company was first forced into a merger with Joan Moriarty's Irish Theatre Ballet in Cork. Then the logistics, combined with artistic differences between Ryan and Moriarty, proved too much and the company was wound up in 1964. Ryan had in the meantime left her husband in favour of the painter Patrick Collins, who would become her second husband. But it's another measure of how bohemian Dublin was back then that John Ryan continued to paint the sets for her ballet, while it lasted. Patricia Ryan's story was the subject of a radio documentary, Building A Ballet, by Joanna Marsden, broadcast last year on RTÉ Lyric and featuring unpublished letters from Collins, Beckett, Ninette de Valois and Micheál MacLiammóir. This coming Friday, as part of Heritage Week, it will be aired again at the Lexicon Library in Dún Laoghaire, followed by a panel discussion with Marsden and other guests. The Dublin of Ryan's ballet company is also to be indirectly commemorated at this year's Patrick Kavanagh Weekend in Inniskeen. The annual event takes place on the last weekend in September and the latest instalment will revolve around the screening of a BBC documentary, Three Irish Writers, narrated by the late Anthony Cronin . That in turn was based on Cronin's classic memoir, Dead as Doornails , which includes much mention of the Ryans and the Bailey but focuses mainly on the interlinked lives of Kavanagh, Brian O'Nolan and Brendan Behan .
Irish Daily Mirror
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Ger Brennan issues venue appeal for Louth's All-Ireland opener against Monaghan
Ger Brennan wants Croke Park for Louth's All-Ireland series opener against Monaghan, after seeing his side land a first Leinster title in 68 years at GAA HQ over the weekend. It was Louth's third Leinster final in a row, something they hadn't managed for well over 100 years, with all of them at Croke Park. Louth have made Monaghan venue Inniskeen their home from home as they wait for work to commence on a new €25 million stadium in Dundalk. The project recently got the green light and will take 16 months, with the stadium having an initial capacity of 6,000, rising to 17,000 on completion. But with the Wee County facing Monaghan in the first round of the All-Ireland series in a week and a half, it's unlikely they would agree to a tie at Inniskeen - a Monaghan venue. The other factor that could rule Inniskeen out is capacity, with Louth likely to draw a huge crowd for their All-Ireland first round tie with the county riding the crest of a wave. Their under-20s recently won the Leinster Championship and will play Mayo in the All-Ireland semi-final next Fridya night at Pearse Park, Longford, while their minors are in provincial final action against Offaly next Monday night. Over 65,000 fans poured into Croker Park for last Sunday's Leinster Final victory over Meath. Inniskeen is a fine ground but the capacity may not be enough at 6-7000. Louth have a great record at the Grattan Park venue, turning Meath over there in a vital Division 2 tie just under two months ago. They also defeated Meath at the venue in the first round of the All-Ireland last year, as well as later turning Cork over in the preliminary quarter-final. Louth could well end up playing their opening All-Ireland series game at Meath GAA's Pairc Tailteann. Asked could the Monaghan game be at Inniskeen Brennan said: 'You never know,' before indicating he would favour Croke Park as a venue. 'We might get a double header in Croke Park,' said Brennan. 'It would be great to play here (Croke Park) if there's another game available. I don't think we'd fill it out as a stand alone fixture comparable to today. I think if there's another game going, it would be great to get it here.' Brennan is unlikely to see his wish granted, unless Meath were to agree to face Cork in their All-Ireland series opener at Croke Park instead of Navan. This is a long shot but there is the option there of a Pairc Tailteann double header, or playing the games at the Navan venue on consecutive days. The current capacity at Pairc Tailteann is in the region of 17,000, which will rise to 20,000 when a new €21 million stand is build, with work set to begin on that next year. The other All-Ireland games set for that weekend will see Donegal face Tyrone at Ballybofey and Armagh entertain Derry at the Athletic Grounds. There's little prospect of those all Ulster ties moving to Croke Park. The only other option would be a double header with Dublin hurlers, who are fixed to play Galway at Parnell, although recent damage to the pitch at the Donnycarney venue has saw games moved out of there. It's unlikely a Dublin/Galway, Monaghan/Louth double header would draw enough of a crowd to entice GAA officials to open Croke Park.
