'Their names will never be forgotten,' says President at special reception for Stardust victims
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President Michael D Higgins has paid tribute to the bereaved families of those who died in the Stardust fire, saying they have “ensured that their names will never be forgotten”.
At a special reception at Áras an Uachtaráin on Wednesday to honour the Stardust victims, the president said that for too long the families had been “let down by the State”.
“Those who, as relatives, had to carry a terrible grief, had their burden made worse by the questions that were left unanswered, or answered incorrectly, or insufficiently, or simply in a distorted way,” he said.
“I now welcome the fact that, however late, you have now finally received comprehensive and credible answers.”
President Higgins embraced family members of victims following the speeches, including Bridget McDermott (87) who lost three children William, George and Marcella in the fire.
Her daughter Selina McDermott said: “It was hugely important for her to be here today. She’s absolutely overwhelmed that she’s here... She never had a confidence in the State or Government for 43 years, she’s never had that because she had to fight them all the time.”
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The fire at the Stardust nightclub in Artane, north Dublin, in the early hours of February 14, 1981, resulted in the deaths of 48 young people. Hundreds had gathered there for the final of a disco dancing competition that evening.
Following a decades-long campaign for truth and justice for what happened, families succeeded in being granted fresh inquests into the deaths of their loved ones.
In April, a jury returned a verdict of “unlawful killing” for each of the 48 people who died in the Stardust fire. The following week, Taoiseach Simon Harris invited the families of victims into the Dáil where he issued a formal apology on behalf of the State.
During his speech on Wednesday, President Higgins praised the families' "steadfastness in pursuit of justice in honouring the memory of those for whom [they] cared so deeply".
"I think in particular of those whose passing means this conclusion comes regrettably too late for them, particularly all the parents of those who were lost, who bore great pain and sorrow living the remainder of their lives without justice having been seen or demonstrated for their children," he said.
Also speaking at the event in the Áras was Antoinette Keegan, a long-time campaigner whose sisters Mary and Martina died in the fire.
“We families of the deceased victims of the Stardust victims have endured what you have called a lifetime of stigma, shame, trauma, hurt,” she told the president. “And have been silenced by successive Governments over 43 years.
“Too many of us families have been broken, left in the dark corners of our shattered past. In some ways, we continue to help one another to understand our past, to help heal one another, to come into the light from the darkness of our past.”
The event was not attended by all families, however, with some saying justice had not yet been done for the victims of the fire.
Following the inquests, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said that officers would be revisiting investigation files into the fire and it is understood this process is ongoing.
Gertrude Barrett, whose son Michael died in the Stardust fire, said: “My journey since 1981 was to obtain truth and justice for my son Michael. I got the truth of his death and the verdict of unlawful killing.
“However, I feel that justice is still outstanding." She said the visit with the President could have waited until full justice was achieved.