Justice for the Stardust 48

St Valentine’s Day or, simply, February 14^th. It’s all a matter of opinion. However, February 14^th resonates deep in the souls of many Dubliners for much more darker reasons.

“I was a Flower of the mountain yes when I put the rose in my hair like the Andalusian girls used or shall I wear a red yes and how he kissed me under the Moorish wall and I thought well as well him as another and then I asked him with my eyes to ask again yes and then he asked me would I yes to say yes my mountain flower and first I put my arms around him yes and drew him down to me so he could feel my breasts all perfume yes and his heart was going like mad and yes I said yes I will Yes.” – James Joyce.

The literary genius that is James Joyce evokes many emotions among beloved friends, family members, and intimate couples. The above extract was taken from one of Joyce’s most famous pieces, Ulysses. The romance intertwined with evocative imagery summarises what St Valentine’s Day should be about. But many Dubliners cannot come to terms with positive emotions on a day which is, traditionally, aimed at evoking love in your community.

On February 14^th 1981, tragedy struck the Stardust nightclub in Artane, Dublin.

A fire took the lives of 48 revellers as they celebrated their innocent love. Over 200 more people sustained injuries from the fire that engulfed the nightclub which was packed with over 800 patrons. Officially, the exact cause of the blase is still unknown.

The remains of the inside of the Stardust nightclub after the fire which took the lives of 48 patrons.

The fire was originally noticed in the seating area of the Stardust before spreading around the nightclub, engulfing the building in unbearable smoke and flames. The burning inferno was plunged into darkness when the lighting failed. Panic spread throughout as the young attendees attempted to breakthrough fire exists which were padlocked shut. There was no emergency lighting or advice; It was hell on earth.

Yet, 35 years later, the families of the victims still seek justice.

Christy Moore, one of Ireland's greatest musicians, wrote an emotional ballad about the tragic event, entitled: 'They Never Came Home.'

The original investigation noted that arson was the cause of the fire, and the owners of the premises were handsomely compensated to the amount which would be the equivalent of €761,000 today. The families who lost relatives in the fire have not received a single cent to date.

However, thanks to relentless campaigning from the Stardust Victims Committee, Gardai agreed to launch an investigation into the previous findings. Gardai investigated the two previous inquiries, namely, The 1981 Keane Tribunal and the 2009 Coffey Tribunal. Yet many questions are still unanswered. 

The Victims Committee claim to have new evidence which shows perjury was committed in both the Keane and Coffey reviews. The committee have had fire expert, Robin Knox, working diligently alongside the families of victims as they seek answers and demand justice.

Whether or not the campaign will ultimately prove to be successful, it aims to garner enough public attention to the plight of the victim's families who, 35 years later, still mourn the tragic death of their loved ones. It is possible a cover up on behalf of previous investigations may come to light. This is the equivalent to England suffering the Hillsborough tragedy. This is Ireland’s shame. Without answers, the 48 children who attended the Stardust that night and lost their lives will have died with no explanation as to why the fire started.

On a day when love is the underlying theme of many people’s February 14^th, we must appreciate the heartache, suffering, and devastation of the families of the 48 victims who never came home.