Anne Fitzgerald’s Not to Scale is a collection of poems and photographs dedicated to “all who have passed through the gates of Irish Catholic Institutions, both public and private.”
The four poems that comprise the collection intertwine Irish social and cultural history with an intricate and deft poetic style. The result is a work that is both deeply haunting and maintains a profound respect for its emotive subject. The photographs, like the poems, commemorate the fading, yet dark legacy of Catholic institutions in Ireland.
The collection opens with ‘Granard, Co. Longford’, a poem dedicated to Ann Rose Lovett, who died giving birth beside a grotto on 31 January 1984. Fitzgerald’s intricate style lends poignancy to her subject while eschewing sentimentality. As readers, we bear witness and are asked to remember what official records obscure:
“…Ann, your Garda casefile sent to the coroner, appears not to appear in any archive.”
The title poem of the collection, ‘Not to Scale’, is a compelling long-form poem that delves into the intricate interplay between architecture, religion, and politics in Ireland. The work centers on Ralph Byrne, a prominent architect renowned for designing religious institutions, and revisits historical figures such as Archbishop John Charles McQuaid and politician Éamon de Valera. Through this exploration, Fitzgerald examines the “architecture of containment” associated with themes of illegitimacy, incarceration, and societal waywardness. Its damning verdict:
“doing God’s holy work on earth, creates cathedrals of incarceration.”
Anne Fitzgerald’s Not to Scale is a powerful response to The Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation. She avoids clichés and does not rely on the reader’s sympathy for the subject to achieve its resonance.
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