Stardust inquest verdicts: Families to hear how and why loved ones ...

Summary

The jury in the Stardust inquests has returned a verdict of unlawful killing in the cases of each of the 48 young people who died in the fire at the Artane nightclub 43 years ago.

The 12-person jury reached majority verdicts in all cases, the foreman confirmed at the beginning of the hearing at the Pillar Room of the Rotunda Hospital, where the court has been sitting since April 2023.

They found, for the first time, that the fire that resulted in the deaths of 48 people, aged 16 to 27, started in a hot-press and was caused by an electrical fault.

They found it was first seen outside the building between 1.20am and 1.40am, and first seen inside the ballroom between 1.35am and 1.40am.

The time at which it was first seen inside the ballroom of the Stardust was approximately 1.35am to 1.40am.

The height of the ceiling, the polyurethane foam in the seats and the almost 3,000 carpet tiles used to line the internal walls all contributed to the spread of the fire, they found.

A lack of visibility because of black smoke, a lack of knowledge of the layout of the building, toxicity of the smoke and gases, the heat of the fire all contributed the speed of the spread of the fire, while failure of the emergency lighting and lack of staff preparedness contributed to the deaths.

The jury found that at the time of the fire, exits in the Stardust Ballroom were either locked, chained, or otherwise obstructed. For this reason, the deceased were impeded in their ability to access or exit through the emergency exits.

More than 90 days of evidence and testimony from 373 witnesses was heard at the inquiry into the deaths of 48 people, aged 16 to 27, in a fire in the north Dublin ballroom in the early hours of 14th February 1981.

Five verdicts were available — accidental, misadventure, unlawful killing, open verdict and narrative.

Key reads‘Jesus Christ, the doors are locked’: The full story of the Stardust fire, by Kitty HollandStardust families were better resourced and more involved in latest inquests, writes Legal Affairs Correspondent Mary CarolanVisit the dedicated Irish Times Stardust page for pen portraits of all 48 victims.‘You never gave up on justice for them’: Taoiseach pays tribute to Stardust families following verdicts

Taoiseach Simon Harris has released a statement following the verdicts.

“The Stardust tragedy was one of the darkest moments in our history, a heart-breaking tragedy because of the lives that were lost, the families that were changed forever, and the long, drawn-out struggle for justice that followed,” he said.

“Today we remember the 48 people who lost their lives, all those who were injured, and all those whose lives were marked forever by the tragedy.

“For over four decades, the families of the victims have carried the weight of this tragedy with unwavering strength and dignity. Their relentless pursuit of truth and accountability, their profound commitment to justice, even in the face of overwhelming challenges and setbacks, was not only a fight for their loved ones but a campaign to ensure that such a disaster never happens again.

“Their courageous campaign demands our respect and our support. They never stopped searching for answers, for justice, and for some form of peace. We best honour all those who died by ensuring that the voices of their loved ones are heard and acted upon.

“The Government will consider this verdict in full and the recommendations of the jury. I want to acknowledge and thank the coroner, and her team and the jurors.

“48 young people never came home that night, but as Taoiseach I want to say this to their families; You never gave up on justice for them, you never let Ireland forget about them. They were never alone, and our country owes you a great debt for that.”

Loud cheers in the courtroom as Stardust inquest jury return unlawful killing verdicts

Kitty Holland reports from the Pillar Room, in the Rotunda Hospital

Verdicts of unlawful killing have been returned in respect of all 48 young people who lost their lives in the Stardust nightclub in Artane in 1981.

There were loud cheers and a standing ovation by hundreds of family members who had gathered to hear the verdicts at Dublin District Coroner’s Court on Thursday, as families hugged each other and cried audibly.

The 12-person jury delivered the final overall verdict just after 2.50pm after eleven days deliberation of over 90 days of hearings and testimony from 373 witnesses.

A lack of visibility because of black smoke, a lack of knowledge of the layout of the building, toxicity of the smoke and gases, the heat of the fire all contributed the speed of the spread of the fire, while failure of the emergency lighting and lack of staff preparedness contributed to the deaths.

The five men and seven women jurors found at the time of the fire some or all of the exits were locked, chained or otherwise obstructed and these impeded the deceaseds’ ability to exit the Stardust.

All these contributed to their deaths, the jury found.

After some remarks from legal representatives present in court, Dr Cullinane formally closes the inquest.

Dr Cullinane saved her final words for the 48 young people who lost their lives “on that fateful night”. She said that theirs were the lives “we sought to vindicate” by holding the inquests over the last year.

Dr Cullinane also spoke to the bereaved families, acknowledging that the Stardust fire, and subsequent loss of their loved ones, was the root of the “defining loss of their lives”. She said she hoped that the families would take solace from the inquests.

Dr Myra Cullinane has delivered her concluding remarks.

She paid tribute to the services of the jury members, who stepped outside their normal lives to partake in the longest running inquest in the history of the State.

Unlawful killing verdict returned by jury in each of the 48 deaths in nightclub fire

The jury has returned a verdict of unlawful killing in each case of the 48 young people who died in the Stardust fire.

Forty-two people died in the Stardust premises, and six people died following removal from the premises, the jury finds.

The jury finds that at the time of the fire, exits in the Stardust Ballroom were either locked, chained, or otherwise obstructed. For this reason, the jury find that the deceased were impeded in their ability to access and/or exit through the emergency exits.

The lack of visibility because of the black smoke impeded some of the deceased in their ability to escape the building following the outbreak of the fire, the jury finds.

The lack of knowledge of the layout of the building impeded some of the deceased in their ability to escape the building following the outbreak of the fire, the jury finds.

The toxicity of the smoke and/or gases impeded some of the deceased in their ability to escape the building following the outbreak of the fire, the jury finds.

The fire was first seen outside the building between 1:20am and 1:40am, the jury finds.

The fire was first seen inside the ballroom of the Stardust between approximately 1:35am to 1:40am the jury finds.

The fire started the hot press in the dispense bar of the nightclub.

The cause of the fire was an electrical fault in the hot press.

The jury was unable to determine time that the fire started.

The jury will now deliver general findings relating to the fire on February 14th, 1981 at the Stardust.

We have now completed the individual statutory findings. The jury are satisified with the identification of each of the deceased.

In the majority of case, place of death has been recorded as the Stardust Nightclub, Artane. In some indiviudal cases, local hospitals are recorded as the place of death.

The cause of death was recorded variously as rapid incapacitation due to inhalation fire fumes and heat; inhalation of fire fumes; complications of burns and the inhalation of fumes; complications of the inhalation of fire fumes.

We are now halfway through the delivery of the individual statutory findings. The jury are satisfied with the identification of each of the victims, with the cause of death for the majority of cases read out thus far being related to inhalation of fire fumes and heat.

In the majority of case, place of death has been recorded as the Stardust Nightclub. In some indiviudal cases, local hospitals are recorded as the place of death.

The jury is continuing to deliver individual finding, in the cases of Richard Bennett, Carol Bissett, James Buckley and Caroline Carey. The jury notes that the latter was pregnant at the time of her death. The jury was satisfied with the identification of each of the deceased.

The jury is now delivering statutory findings in the case of each of the deceased.

Michael Barrett (17) was identified on February 17th, 1981. The jury is satisfied as to the identification of the deceased. The medical cause for Mr Barrett’s death was inhalation of fire fumes. His date of death was February 14, 1981.

Michael, from Raheny, was the eldest of four children. His main hobbies were football and DJing, and had a wicked sense of humour, his mother Gertrude previously told the inquest.

Dr Myra Cullinane is now addressing the jury.

The jury foreman says that the jury has reached the same verdict in each of the 48 cases.

Kitty Holland has the latest from the courtroom.

The court is absolutely packed with hundreds of family members, with standing room only. A handful of survivors’ parents here, and legal teams have given up their seats for family members.

Family are arriving at the Pillar Room ahead of the 2pm verdicts.

Bridget McDermott, mother of three of the Stardust victims, arriving for the verdict this afternoon. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw

Relatives arriving at the inquests. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw

Enda O’Dowd’s video report details the how the Stardust fire unfolded, and the subsequent decades of campaigning undertaken by bereaved families.

Kitty Holland looks back at the Stardust tragedy and the inquiry reviewing the evidence of the tragedy.

Marie O’Halloran has some early comments from the Dáil ahead of the verdict.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin has told the Dáil “my thoughts and all of our thoughts are with the families of those who died in the Stardust tragedy”.

He said the families had pursued justice for more than 40 years.

Mr Martin said that in a couple of hours there would be a verdict in the coroners’ court. “This will be a huge moment for the families and indeed for the entire country because it is seared in the collective consciousness of the Irish people.

He said “the tenacity of the families to secure this inquest has been a service to all”.

Sinn Féin finance spokesman Pearse Doherty also paid tribute to the families

Who faced “many, many obstacles including those put in their way by this State.

“And I hope that the families involved today will get the answers they have been waiting for. And I extend to them my solidarity and the solidarity of everyone in Sinn Féin on this momentous day.

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett also extended his “solidarity and support to the families of the 48 who never came home”. He hoped that “they will finally get the truth and justice they deserve after a 40-year long struggle”.

Social Affairs Correspondent Kitty Holland is at the Pillar Room in the Rotunda Hospital, where the inquests have been taking place since last April.

Lots of families are gathering outside and inside the Pillar Room. Laura Millar, whose brother Jim died in the fire, has arrived from Belfast. Jim had moved to Dublin with Robert Hillick – who also died in the fire – to escape the Troubles.

Taoiseach Simon Harris has said that he is “ready to interact and engage” with the Stardust families once the verdict in the inquest is handed down later today, Pat Leahy reports.

Speaking in Brussels on the second day of the summit of EU leaders, Mr Harris said he is “extremely conscious of the fact that this must be extraordinary difficult and emotional day for all those involved”, describing them as “people who have sought justice answers and truth for such a long period of time”.

“As Taoiseach I certainly stand ready to interact and engage with those families once the verdict comes through today,” he said. “But let’s have that first.”

Stardust’s 48 victims - who were they?

The inquests into the deaths of the 48 young people who died in the Stardust fire in Artane, Dublin in 1981 feature pen portraits of each of the deceased by bereaved family members. Find all of the portraits and more coverage here.

Inquests heard Stardust exit doors locked or obstructed

The inquests heard evidence alleging, on the night of the fire, exit doors at the Artane, Dublin, nightclub were locked or obstructed; that staff had not been trained in responding to an emergency or how to use fire extinguishers; that windows in toilets had been sealed shut with metal plates and bars; that carpet tiles used to line most of the internal walls were flammable and central to the rapid spread of the blaze; that electrical wiring was faulty; and that the ceiling in the area where the fire was first observed inside the club was below permitted minimum height.

The interior of the Stardust which went on fire on the morning of Valentines Day 1981, killing 48 young people. Photograph: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Evidence was also heard that the club was allegedly frequently overcrowded; that there were not enough doormen and some doormen were letting patrons in through side entrances for less than the cover charge at the main door.

Addressing the jury before their deliberations, Dublin coroner Dr Myra Cullinane said: “To sit on this jury brings with it great responsibility, You must approach your task in an objective manner, based on the law ... and the facts you have heard in evidence. These are the only considerations for you in reaching your findings.”

She said they must be “dispassionate” and “clinical” and “put emotions aside” adding they were “under no time pressure” to reach their conclusions.

Dr Cullinane, referencing sections 30 and 31 of the Coroner’s Act 1962, told the jury before their deliberations: “Neither the verdict nor any rider to the verdict at an inquest shall contain a censure or exoneration of any person”. A verdict of “unlawful killing” must not attribute criminality or civil liability to any person or organisation, she said.

“The verdicts and findings are about acts and omissions – they are neutral statements about where it happened and how it happened. But not who did or did not do those things,” she said.

There was “a very specific test” they must apply to arrive at an unlawful killing verdict, she continued.

The exterior of the Stardust nightclub after it was destroyed by fire, killing 48 young people in February 1981. Photograph: Tom Lawlor

“You must find there has been a failure by a person or people, to a very high degree, to observe such a course of action that experience shows to be necessary, if substantial injury to others is to be avoided ... and that such failure was a substantial cause of the death [or deaths].”

This verdict was available only where death occurs “in the most serious of circumstances,” she said and could be returned only where the jury was satisfied “beyond a reasonable doubt that each of the elements of the test ... are proven to that legal standard”.

“The facts are for you,” she told the jury. “If you are considering a verdict of unlawful killing the following matters should be borne in mind ... You should apply the standards of 1981 in deciding the extent of any failures that arose and not the standards of today.

“You should bear in mind the circumstances the people were facing at the time when they made decisions they made. You may conclude there were serious failures ... and each of those failings were of a high degree and that those failings were a substantial cause of the death.”

The aftermath of the Stardust nightclub fire in February 1981. Photograph: Tom Lawlor

In considering other verdicts the standard of proof was “on balance of probabilities,” she said provided hypothetical examples of circumstance in which such verdicts could be reached.