Stardust victims to be honoured at Dublin Festival of History 

The Stardust victims and their families will be honoured at a showpiece event at the opening of the Dublin Festival History this Friday (27th). 

Forty-eight people, average age 19, lost their lives in the blaze which swept through the nightclub in the north Dublin suburb of Artane on Valentine’s Day in 1981. 

Now the authors of the recently published book, ‘The Last Disco: The Story of the Stardust Tragedy’, are hosting a discussion on the events surrounding the fire, including the families’ four-decade long fight for justice, at the festival’s Big Weekend at Dublin Castle which begins on Friday. 

Tickets for the hour-long talk, which is scheduled to begin at 8pm, are free – and organisers are encouraging anyone interested in attending to book their place as soon as they can via the festival website, dublinfestivalofhistory.ie.

“We were pleased to be able to add the Stardust discussion to the festival programme as a late addition,” said Brendan Teeling, Deputy City Librarian with Dublin City Council, which organises the Dublin Festival of History along with Dublin City Council Culture Company.

“Dozens of tickets have already been snapped up, and people still have time to book free tickets for this event, which is one of our Big Weekend headliners at the Printworks in Dublin Castle.”

Published in August by Bonnier Books, ‘The Last Disco: The Story of the Stardust Tragedy’ by journalists Sean Murray, Christine Bohan and Nicky Ryan, “honours the memories of those who were lost, while shedding light on the tragedy that still shocks the nation to this day”. 

Now in its 12th year, Dublin Festival of History 2024 is the biggest yet, with over 250 free events, including talks, walks, exhibitions, musical performances, and even a special day out on the DART. 

The Big Weekend runs until Sunday 29 September, and the packed programme includes a talk on the life of Roger Casement, plus panel discussions on Ireland and the Empire, and Irish queer histories. 

A particular highlight is Songs of History, starring musicians Mike Hanrahan and Eleanor Shanley, which promises to raise the roof of the Printworks. 

Commenting on the launch of the festival programme, Iseult Dunne, CEO of Dublin City Council Culture Company said: ‘Our work at the Culture Company is about making more opportunities to take part in culture all over the city.

“We are delighted to partner with Dublin City Libraries to bring so many events together for this year’s festival, and in such a variety of places across Dublin, with topics covering everything from people, places and politics, to science, food, fashion, art, sport and more. We invite you to discover a new story.” 

Copies of the programme are available from all Dublin City libraries and online at www.dublinfestivalofhistory.ie