In 1941, an English psychoanalyst, Dr Fairfax, embarks on a journey from war-ravaged London to peaceful Ireland, via a mailboat, to serve as a lead psychiatrist at Grangegorman mental hospital on the peripheries of Dublin. He is grappling with the loss of his long-term gay partner, Charles Willoughby, who died in the blitz, cradled by an Irish worker. Fairfax struggles to come to terms with what he perceives as an act of disloyalty, as well as his feelings of deceit and concealment in a society which is yet to fully accept his sexuality.
The theme of deception runs throughout “Hide Away”, in relationships, friendships and principles. However, the novel primarily highlights the psychological impact of violence, mass destruction and covert executions on those directly involved. Among the patients under Fairfax’s care is Francis Dillon, formerly associated with Michael Collins. At the young age of 19, he served as a colonel in the Free State Army. Dillon is haunted by a potent delusion that he is being hunted by remnants of the Civil War’s Irregulars, armed and ready to hang him from a makeshift gallows. At the centre of Dillon’s paranoia lies a terrible memory: the execution of three teenagers opposing the Treaty at Red Cow, a site menacingly present throughout Dermot Bolger’s disconcerting storyline.
Two other key characters, Grangegorman inmate Jimmy Nolan and eloquent auxiliary staff Gus, join Fairfax and Dillon in the narrative spotlight. Their stories and relationships allow the author to explore the dark aspects of Ireland’s history, such as poverty, patriarchal society (despite a lack of female characters), the dominance of the Church, violence, and trauma. The entire nation, according to some, needs psychological help to deal with its load of deception, shiftiness, concealments, and impairments – all the evil tucked away. In spite of its grim subject matter, “Hide Away” is a compelling exploration of socio-political issues in a bygone era, infused with a keen understanding of Ireland’s historical issues and prejudices. Despite encapsulating a fractured society, the book offers a refreshingly thought-provoking read.
Patricia Craig is a critic.