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Stardust: A month of emotional testimony highlights how many families were destroyed

‘Two things in life change you as a person and you are never the same. They are love. And grief,’ Stardust inquest told

A memorial to the 48 victims at the site of the Stardust fire in Artane. Photograph: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin

Sun May 21 2023 - 09:35

Welcome to this week’s IT Sunday.

“On Thursday, in the Pillar Room on the campus of the Rotunda hospital in Dublin, the last of 48 ‘pen portraits’ – short, descriptive biographies – of young people who died in a nightclub fire more than four decades ago were read into a court record.

“The portraits, which have elicited laughter, smiles and many tears over the past four weeks, will probably be among the most memorable testimonies we will hear at the inquests into the deaths of 48 people, some of whom were children, at the Stardust nightclub in Artane in the early hours of February 14th, 1981,” writes Kitty Holland who has spent much of the last month covering the fresh inquests, which are expected to run through the summer.

The testimony so far has offered a reminder of what life was like in north Dublin four decades ago and this weekend Holland reflects on the devastating impact the tragedy had on the families and their communities.

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Fidelma Lawless, whose sister Sandra (18) from Coolock perished in the fire, told Holland that Thursday was a “momentous and emotional” day as the families mark the completion of this phase of the inquests. Her brother Brendan read Sandra’s pen portrait into the record earlier this month. She “grew up to be a happy, kind, funny, selfless, outgoing, generous sister and daughter who loved life... Sandra was like the family bodyguard, unbeknown to our Mam and Dad of course, and she always stood up for us when we got into silly disagreements with the neighbours”.

The following are a selection of the harrowing testimonies, with versions of the portraits of all 48 victims published on our website here.

Francis and Maureen Lawlor (25 & 23), Finglas: Last week, Lisa Lawlor told the inquests of the heartbreak of losing both her parents in the fire when she was just 17 months old. “I have no memories of my parents, only utter devastation”.

“Francis, my dad, managed to get out of the inferno and into the cold night air which must have hurt his scorched lungs. He started to run around looking for Maureen in the huddled groups of young people in a state of shock outside. None of them knew who Maureen was and just shook their heads, many crying or unable to speak. Francis realised she was still inside. He filled his lungs with air and ran back into the fire to get her. Neither Francis nor Maureen ever came home again.”

“Anyone from Dublin knows that if the disco had been in an affluent southside suburb, rather than a working class area of the northside, the victims would not have been blamed for their own deaths,” she told the inquest.

Helena Mangan (22), Coolock: Samantha Curran spoke of her mother Helena’s death when she was just 4½ years old - “Before my mammy left that night, she gave me a big kiss and hug”.

“Life has been so hard without my mammy. A part of me is broken and will never be fixed – by never having her to hug me and tell me everything is going to be all right.

“As the years went by I still hoped that she’d come back. Every year on my birthday, as I blew out the candles on my cake, I would wish so hard for her to walk through the door. At Christmas, I wished Santy would bring her back, but he never did.”

Margaret Kiernan (19), Coolock: “The night Margaret was killed my mother and father had their lives taken away from them. The spirit went from both of them and they would never be the same people again,” her brother told the inquest.

“For me, it was like role reversal at 21 years of age, wondering what I would be coming home to where both parents took to heavy drink and tranquillising, listening to their sorrow for months on end.

“Thankfully, they both came out the other side, albeit heartbroken. I am sure our story is not unique among the victims’ families.”

Margaret Thornton (19), Dublin 1: ‘She was the baby of the family, we all doted on her,’ her sister told the inquest.

“To say I miss her would be an understatement. I think a part of all of us died that day but – for our mother – I think the best part of her died with her youngest daughter, Margaret. I don’t think she was ever happy again.

“Margaret would have turned 60 in November 2021 ... She never got the chance to become a wife, a mother, a grandmother. She never got to live her dreams or carry out her plans. Margaret has always been loved and will never be forgotten.”

George O’Connor (17), Coolock: “I had a big brother who was on this Earth for 17 years, 10 months and 12 days. He may be just a “body number” on the inquest list, but to us he was the first born, a grandson, a big brother, a nephew, a cousin and a loyal friend to those who knew him. And his name is George,” his sister told the inquest.

“There is no closure to grief, just a beginning, a middle and the rest of your life. The new “normal” is having tears waiting behind every smile because you realise someone important is missing from all those important events.

“I wonder how very different all our lives would be if he were still here. What career path would he have taken, would he have married, had kids, stayed in Ireland or lived abroad.

“Two things in life change you as a person and you are never the same. They are love. And grief,” she said.

David Morton (19) Coolock: “I still remember him that night, getting ready and preening himself. I looked up to him and wanted to be as cool as he was,” his younger brother told the inquest.

“The way the whole thing was just ‘pushed under the carpet’ was an insult to everyone who died and all those loved ones who were affected. I just want someone to accept that what happened was a dreadful event that could have been avoided.”

Mary Keegan (19), Coolock: ‘I would sit on the doorstep every day waiting for Mary to come home, for months after,” her brother told the inquest. “I was only three. I couldn’t understand why Mary never came home. For years after I asked my ma and da where Mary and Martina were. My mam told me they were working for holy God up in heaven. My ma always told me it was like Butlins. I would reply, ‘Can we go and visit them? When are they coming back?’”

Brian Hobbs (21), Whitehall: “When my brother was born my Mam ... brought him home and placed him in my arms – I was 14 – and she asked me, ‘What shall we call him?’ I just said Brian. That day was the beginning of my role as Mammy Pat,” his sister told the inquest. And recalling the events of the time, says: “There was a sadness about us all that was to stay and cause a huge chasm in most of my family members ... manifested in alcohol abuse, mental-health issues and early death for some.”

“It is important for me to find closure for my family – some answers and, finally, justice.”

Murtagh ‘Murty’ Kavanagh (27), Coolock: “In today’s terms, Murty would have been considered our father’s carer. Murty was caring, kind and generous. He was good natured and ready to help no matter what was needed,” his sister told the inquest.

“He enjoyed cooking, fishing and music. He was a big Bob Dylan and Neil Young fan.

“Murty had lots of dreams and hopes for the future, and planned to get engaged, married and to have children with his partner Margaret Thornton, who perished in the fire also.”

The brother of Thelma Frazer (20), Ringsend read the following for the inquest -”You, my fire-haired sister with a smile so broad and a laugh filled with spring, lost your life in the most tragic way, and with that we lost everything/ Our folks grew old overnight/ my brother went grey/ My question of your return never went away/ I miss my “row row row your boat” big sister, every single day/ My son asks of his Auntie Thelma often/ I can’t answer his questions, as I was five when you were stolen from me/ We can never move on, as we’ve never had answers/ We can never shed light on what happened to all the midnight Stardust dancers.”

Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane, who is leading the inquests, said on Thursday: “We have heard from brothers, sisters, parents, children, nieces, nephews and close friends sharing the memories they have of those who died and also sharing the short-term and longer-term effects on themselves and their families. And we see how the grief is carried in the next generation.

“The presentations brought home to all of us, including members of the jury, the legal teams present, the media and, through the media, the people of Ireland, the impact of the disaster on so many lives. And to see how it affected each family in its own way.

“I think I speak for all of us when I sincerely thank the families for allowing us to participate in their most private and treasured memories.”

You will find the portraits of all 48 victims published on our website here. Our ongoing coverage of the inquests will also be collected there.

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