Taoiseach: Remembrance ceremony for Stardust victims will take place on June 23
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The victims of the Stardust disaster will be commemorated at a special event in Dublin next month, the Taoiseach has said.
On June 23, a remembrance ceremony will be held for the 48 young people who lost their lives in the 1981 fire. It’s understood that the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin city is being considered as a venue for the event.
Simon Harris extended a State apology to the families of the victims of the Stardust fire last month, following the conclusion of the fresh inquests into their deaths.
After proceedings that lasted a year, a jury reached a majority verdict that the 48 young people who attended the Stardust nightclub in north Dublin on the night of February 13, 1981 were all unlawfully killed.
At great length, the jury had heard evidence of how a fire broke out in the early hours of the morning just after an eagerly-anticipated disco dancing competition in the venue.
Families of victims had fought for 43 years for the truth of what had happened to their loved ones, culminating in the emotional scenes in Dublin in April when the unlawful killing verdicts were delivered.
Mr Harris met with the families just a few days later and delivered his State apology in the Dáil.
“Today we say formally and without equivocation — we are sorry,” he said. “We failed you when you needed us most from the very beginning. We have stood with you, but instead we forced you to stand against us."
In consultation with the families, counselling has been made available while work has been ongoing to arrange a date for the commemoration. Furthermore, it is understood there are discussions have taken place regarding putting the tragedy — one of the worst single loss of life events in the history of the State — on history curriculums in schools.
Antoinette Keegan, a long-time campaigner who lost two of her sisters in the Stardust fire, said the progress so far has been welcome.
“Everything is moving, it’s all positive,” she said.
Further along the line will be a redress scheme, which Ms Keegan said “has to be done properly, or families won’t accept it”.
“It’s been 43 years,” she said. “People are getting older. Time is not on their side. It has to be done right.”
In a statement, Mr Harris said he was happy to be able to confirm the date for the commemoration next month.
“This will be a moment to remember those who lost their lives but I also hope it will be a moment for those injured, those who fought to save lives and those who fought for decades to have the 48 victims and their good names fully vindicated,” he said.
“I will lead the Government attendees at the official event and I hope that this, along with the official State apology delivered in the Dáil, will show 2024 to be the year where Ireland put right our duty to all involved in Stardust.”