Families of Stardust fire victims formally request new inquest

Relatives says they have fresh evidence and unheard testimony about 1981 nightclub blaze

A picture  taken on February 14th, 1981 of the Stardust nightclub in Artane, Dublin. Photograph: Tom Lawlor
A picture taken on February 14th, 1981 of the Stardust nightclub in Artane, Dublin. Photograph: Tom Lawlor

Survivors and families of the victims of the Stardust disaster, in which 48 young people died, have submitted new evidence to the Attorney General in relation to the 1981 fire and formally requested a fresh inquest be held.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told the Dáil in November that Attorney General Séamus Woulfe would give full consideration to holding a new inquest into the fire that gutted the nightclub in Artane, Dublin, once a formal request was received.

He added that an inquest could only be ordered if there were sufficient grounds for doing so.

Antoinette Keegan, whose sisters Mary (19) and Martina (16) were killed in the fire, said the application was delivered on Tuesday.

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She said the submission of 400 pages included testimony from “various experts” including people who investigated the Grenfell Tower fire in London, the Hillsborough stadium disaster in Sheffield, and the September 11th, 2001 terror attacks in New York.

The families of the victims say they have new evidence including documents and unheard witness testimony about the blaze, the worst fire disaster in the history of the State.

The Office of the Attorney General did not respond to queries from The Irish Times, submitted through the Department of the Taoiseach, as to whether Mr Woulfe would now give consideration to holding a new inquest.

Ms Keegan said the survivors and families of the victims of the fire would meet Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on May 29th.

Colin Gleeson

Colin Gleeson

Colin Gleeson is an Irish Times reporter