An article reporting on the psychiatric aspects of the 18 years of civil disorder in Northern Ireland. There are methodological difficulties in assessing the psychological impact but judging from community surveys, hospital admissions & referral data, psychotropic drug use, rates of attempted & completed suicide, & from assessment of violence victims, society has not broken down nor has the impact been judged considerable. Possible explanations (e.g. non-reporting) are discussed. (CM)