43 years after the horrific Stardust disaster, justice finally arrived this week for the families of those who perished in the fire on Valentine's Day 1981.
On that night, 48 people between the ages of 16 to 26 lost their lives when a flashover fire enveloped the Stardust nightclub in Artane. Over half of the victims were aged 18 or younger.
The first flames were thought to have come from an electrical fault - but the original inquest had ruled that the fire was the result of arson, a verdict widely renounced by families of the victims.
This week brought justice at last for the families of those 48 souls, with a Dublin jury finding that the deaths were the result of "unlawful killing," and confirming the widely held belief of an electrical fault starting the fire.
The jury's findings detailed that the height of the nightclub ceiling and materials within the venue had contributed to the flashover, while lack of visibility amid toxic smoke was found to have been exacerbated by the failure of the emergency lighting system. The jury also confirmed the long-known fact that the emergency exits had been locked, chained, or obstructed, impeding patrons' ability to swiftly exit the venue.
Louise McDermott, whose mother lost three children in the Stardust disaster, said of this week's verdict:
I just want to say to the 48 now that we're taking you out of the flames, the darkness and the smoke of the Stardust. We're bringing you back to the sunshine and the light and the music and you're coming back to us, to home.
Families of the 48 victims have been invited to Dáil Éireann by Taoiseach Simon Harris for a formal state apology to be delivered on Tuesday. On Friday night, in the aftermath of the bittersweet vindication for the Stardust families, tributes were paid at Dalymount Park.
Bohemians fans pay tribute after justice finally arrives for victims of Stardust disaster
A flag has long been visible on the now-dormant east terrace at Dalymount adorned with the "Justice for Stardust 48" symbol. On Friday night, as Bohemians hosted Drogheda United in a League of Ireland Premier Division game, the sell-out crowd paid tribute to those 48.
With Bohs leading 1-0 at half-time, fans were asked to raise the flashlights on their phones in memory of the young people who lost their lives in February 1981, after justice finally arrived.
❤️🖤 Fans at Dalymount Park tonight shone a light in memory of the 48 young people who lost their lives in the Stardust Disaster, and in solidarity with their courageous families who campaigned for justice for four decades.
Finally - #JusticeForStardust48 pic.twitter.com/DrSXCizZnk— Bohemian Football Club (@bfcdublin) April 19, 2024
Video footage from within the crowd captured the emotional scene, as Bohs and Drogheda fans came together in a powerful and peaceful moment, with Christy Moore's 'They Never Came Home' playing over the stadium's PA.
Moore was brought to court over the lyrical content of the song, which dealt with the tragedy of the Stardust fire - ultimately, the album on which the track appeared was ordered to be withdrawn from circulation. The lyrics directly addressed the safety issues at the venue which were upheld in this week's hearing:
In a matter of seconds confusion did reign
The room was in darkness fire exits were chained
...
Hundreds of boys and girls injured and maimed
Because the windows were locked and the exits were chained.
I started going to Dalymount roughly around the same time as the Stardust, and tonight was one of the most poignant moments I ever seen in the home of football. Well done, Larry on PA, and all the Bohs and Drogheda United fans.
Every other stadium in Ireland, over to you...… pic.twitter.com/cjm32WOoor— KM2 TV Archive (@KillianM2) April 20, 2024
Also on Friday night, Late Late Show host Patrick Kielty read out the names of the 48 victims in memory of their tragic loss, with a family member of each in attendance in the audience.
We'd like to thank the Stardust families for joining us in studio tonight#latelate pic.twitter.com/bWG3aexmtp
— The Late Late Show (@RTELateLateShow) April 19, 2024
RTÉ also announced the development of a full-length documentary on the disaster.
February 14th 1981 remains one of the darkest dates in Dublin's history. Though it has arrived 43 years too late, one can only hope that this week's verdict at the very least brings peace to the families of all those lost to the Stardust fire.
