Victims of nightclub fire that left 48 dead 43 years ago finally get justice

A verdict of unlawful killing has been returned by the jury of the Stardust Fire inquests for all 48 people who died in the 1981 Dublin nightclub disaster.

Some Stardust family members jumped to their feet and clapped at the verdict, while some sat in their seats and were moved to tears.

Others embraced each other as soon as ‘unlawful killing’ was said by the foreman of the jury.

Over 800 people were attending the nightclub the night a fire broke out, and their escape was hindered by barred windows, chains and padlocks on the doors.

An additional 214 people were injured in the blaze and ensuing scuffle, and a number of suicides of attendees years later were linked to the event.

Directed by Ireland’s then-attorney general Seamus Woulfe, the inquests have been the longest held in Ireland, with proceedings commencing a year ago.

A verdict of unlawful killing has been returned by the jury of the Stardust Fire inquests for all 48 people who died in the 1981 Dublin nightclub disaster (Picture: Tony Harris/PA Wire)

Survivors and family members in the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin after the unlawful killing verdict was returned (Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire)

Survivor Antoinette Keegan, who lost her two sisters Mary and Martina, outside Dublin Coroner’s Court (Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire)

The foreman of the jury told coroner Myra Cullinane on Wednesday that majority verdicts had been reached after 11 days of deliberation.

The jury said that lack of visibility due to black smoke, a lack of knowledge of the layout of the building, toxicity of the smoke and/or gases, the heat of the fire, failures of the emergency lighting system, lack of staff preparedness, and the speed of the spread of the fire were factors that impeded exit.

Also asked if any of the deceased were impeded in their ability to exit due to locked, chained or otherwise obstructed exits, the jury said ‘yes’.

Asked if this was a contributory factor in any of the deaths, the jury also said ‘yes’.

The coroner deferred the delivery of the verdicts until Thursday so family members could gather at Dublin District Coroner’s Court to hear the result.

Speaking in Brussels on Thursday morning, Irish premier Simon Harris said: ‘I’m extremely conscious of the fact that this must be an extraordinarily difficult and emotional day for all of the families involved, people who have sought justice, answers and truth for such a long period of time.

Family members of some of the victims gathered outside the Coroner’s Court at the RDS, Dublin, ahead of the verdict (Picture: PA)

Over 800 people were attending the club when the fire broke out (Picture: Tony Harris/PA Wire)

‘As Taoiseach, I certainly stand ready to interact and engage with those families.’

In the Irish parliament, Leaders’ Questions at noon began with Irish deputy premier Micheal Martin and Sinn Fein’s Pearse Doherty stating that their thoughts were with the families of those who died in the Stardust club.

‘They have waited, as we all know, four decades for answers to what happened to their loved ones at that time, and they faced many, many obstacles including those put in their way by this state,’ Mr Doherty said.

Mr Martin said: ‘My thoughts and all of our thoughts are with the families of those who died in the Stardust tragedy in 1981.’

‘This will be a huge moment for the families and indeed for the entire country because the Stardust tragedy is seared on the collective consciousness of the Irish people and the tenacity of the families and their success in securing this inquest has been a service to all in society.’

Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane paid tribute to the ‘persistence and commitment’ of the families who had campaigned for fresh inquests.

‘To the families I acknowledge the deaths of these 48 young people is a source of ongoing grief to those who loved them and it remains the defining loss of their lives,’ she said.

‘However, I hope that family members will have taken some solace from the fact that these fresh inquests were held, that the facts surrounding the deaths were examined in detail, that moving testimony was heard from many of those involved in the events of the night and, most importantly, that you the families felt fully involved in proceedings, however difficult it was to hear all of the evidence.

‘The fact that these inquests have been held at all is in no small part due to the persistence and commitment of families over the years.

‘And, finally, we remember those 48 young people who lost their lives on that fateful night. It is their lives that we’ve sought to vindicate by way of these inquests.’

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Irish premier Simon Harris described the Stardust tragedy as ‘one of the darkest moments in our history’.

‘A heartbreaking tragedy because of the lives that were lost, the families that were changed forever, and the long, drawn-out struggle for justice that followed,’ he said.

In a statement after a jury at inquests into the deaths of the 48 people in the Dublin nightclub disaster in 1981 returned a verdict of unlawful killing, Mr Harris remembered those who lost their lives and paid tribute to their families for pursuing truth and justice ‘to ensure that such a disaster never happens again’.

He said the Irish government will consider the verdict in full, and the recommendations of the jury.

‘I want to acknowledge and thank the coroner, and her team and the jurors,’ he said.

’48 young people never came home that night, but as Taoiseach I want to say this to their families; You never gave up on justice for them, you never let Ireland forget about them. They were never alone, and our country owes you a great debt for that.’

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