Stardust fire: Vigil held as inquest venue confirmed
- Published
A vigil was held in Dublin to mark the 41st anniversary of the fire
A candlelight vigil has been held in Dublin to mark the 41st anniversary of the Stardust fire.
Forty eight people died in the nightclub blaze on Valentine's Day in 1981 - including three from Northern Ireland.
A venue has also been found to hold a fresh inquest into the tragedy, which is due to begin next month.
Relatives of those who died have welcomed news that the inquest will be held in the Rotunda Hospital.
This month a year-long lease for a dedicated hearing room at the RDS comes to an end.
The Department of Justice has confirmed the hospital as an alternative venue, according to RTÉ.
Three of those who died in the St Valentine's Day blaze in 1981 were from Northern Ireland.
They were Susan Morgan from Londonderry and James Millar and Robert Hillock from Twinbrook, in west Belfast.
More than 800 people were at the disco when the fire took hold and the average age of those killed was 19.
The remains of the Stardust nightclub after the fire in 1981
The Republic's attorney general confirmed in 2019 that the application for a new inquest had been successful.
The application has been made by victims' families after years of campaigning over the fire in Artane.
A tribunal, chaired by Justice Ronan Keane, was held in the year following the fire.
He concluded the cause was "probably arson", which was contested by victims' families.
In 2009, an independent examination into the tribunal reported there was no evidence to support Justice Keane's finding that the fire was started deliberately near the ballroom of the nightclub.
In 2017, the families of the victims rejected the report of retired Judge Pat McCartan, which found no new inquiry into the deadly fire was warranted.
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- Published25 September 2019
