Omagh: The beginning of the reparative impulse?

SUMMARY

Northern Ireland is at a crossroads. We can either work through to a better state of mind where relationships are trusted and valued, or we can regress to a primitive state of human relations where envy and hate are the main currency of day-to-day relations. This paper suggests the current signs are positive: that this society is beginning to make a recovery from the trauma of the past. Through highlighting how rage and narcissism have been key features of a dysfunctional response to trauma, I argue that there is now evidence that people want another way of expressing their inner worlds. It is up to all of us who are in contact with Northern Ireland to take our responsibilities seriously in constructing a pluralistic and creative society that can have more positive experiences of human relations.