President Michael D Higgins, during a gathering on Wednesday at the presidential house, addressed the enduring struggle of the families impacted by the tragic Stardust fire in 1981 in North Dublin. He acknowledged their persistent pursuit for truth regarding the unfortunate event which claimed the lives of 48 individuals aged between 16 and 27. The President shared his sincerity for the inordinate delay they have had to experience, deeming it “unacceptable”, and admitted to their misguided treatment by the State.
He commended their battle for justice, hailing the verdict delivered in April confirming the unlawful killing of all 48 victims as a legitimate victory in their fight for those they grieved. This verdict was the result of a long, 122-day inquest at the Dublin’s coroner’s court.
However, not all affected families were present on this occasion at Áras an Uachtaráin, labelling the celebration as untimely due to the minimal progress evident in the subsequent Garda case review. Instead, the Barrett, Kavanagh, and Hogan families gathered at the Garda headquarters in the Phoenix Park, bringing with them photos of their dearly departed.
Michael Barrett’s mother, Gertrude, expressed her pain and disappointment at the ongoing quest for justice for her son.
Meanwhile, Terri Jones, the sister of Murtagh, explained her absence from the reception, confessing that her gut feeling urged her to do so. She shared the devastating fact that her brother’s body was so severely burnt that it took till 2006 for him to be identified.
“My sibling remained anonymous for a quarter of a century. I believe it’s my duty to act on his behalf, and I’m sure my late parents would have wanted me to carry out this act,” stated Ms Jones. David Hogan, Eugene’s brother, expressed that the Áras reception didn’t sit well with him, it didn’t seem “fitting”.
There was a palpable sense of pride from the families present at the event. Susan Behan found herself overwhelmed with emotions as she recollected her late parents and brother John Colgan (21).
“Perhaps it’s due to the fact that they [the 48 victims] have been ignored for such a substantial period. Today, though…I get the sense that we’re finally moving beyond an extensive period of suffering. I’m genuinely ecstatic to be present here. I’m confident that my parents and my brother John would be overjoyed knowing that justice has been served at last,” she proclaimed.
Yet, for Antoinette Keegan, who managed to survive the disastrous fire but tragically lost her sisters Martina (16) and Mary (19), there remained a significant journey towards complete accountability and justice.
“However, we were privileged enough to have the President devote his time to us today. That in itself is an enormous statement for us families,” she pointed out. Antoinette also mentioned that the final ruling of the inquest was under review by the Gardaí, with Commissioner Drew Harris evaluating the cases in detail.
Attempts have been made to reach out to the Garda press office in order to gather any updates on the Stardust case review.