Why the truth matters to the Stardust families

THE Stardust disaster is Ireland’s JFK moment – we all remember what we were doing when we heard the awful news that 48 young people had perished in a nightclub fire in Artane in the early hours of St Valentine’s Day in 1981.

Up to 214 were injured, with many of them still bearing the scars – both emotional and physical – to this day.

As the 36th anniversary of the tragedy approaches, some Stardust families and survivors are still fighting for justice, determined to get to the truth of what happened on that dreadful night.

The truth has eluded them for the past three decades; their efforts stymied by State inaction, political indifference and legal roadblocks. If a country is to be judged by how it treats its most vulnerable, Official Ireland should hang its head in shame over its neglect of the Stardust victims.

There have been glimmers of hope. In 2008, senior counsel Paul Coffey was tasked by the then Government to conduct a review of ‘new evidence’ presented by Stardust campaigners. Crucially, he concluded that the original 1982 Stardust Tribunal of Inquiry’s finding that the fire was the result of “probable” arson should not stand and the record of the Dáil was corrected to reflect this.

The arson theory had always rested uneasily with the families. Not only did it exonerate the owners of the Stardust of any real blame for the tragedy, it indirectly cast suspicion on the innocent staff and punters who were there that night. It was perceived as a slur on the very communities that had suffered the most.

Much to the disappointment of the Stardust Victims’ Committee, no new inquiry was sanctioned into the cause of the fire following Mr Coffey’s review in 2009. Their relentless pursuit of the truth has continued ever since.

Last week, there was a breakthrough when Independent TD Tommy Broughan tabled a motion calling for a Commission of Investigation into the Stardust fire. The Government found itself on the back foot when Independent Alliance minister, Finian McGrath, argued strongly in favour of supporting the motion, even suggesting it would be a resigning issue for him.

A compromise was reached and the Dáil passed a Government counter-motion today to appoint an independent person to examine any new or updated evidence gathered by the Stardust families. If this assessment establishes the existence of new evidence, then a Commission of Investigation will be set up.

In an era where many of us are cynical about politics, both Tommy Broughan and Finian McGrath deserve credit for their unwavering support for the Stardust campaign for justice.

We can only hope that the independent assessment represents a step in the right direction towards a full inquiry into the disaster and is not just another false dawn.

Getting to the truth of what happened that night will never compensate for the loss of 48 lives, nor will it erase the harrowing memories of those who survived. For some families, however, it may bring about some much-needed closure.

Tony McCullagh and Neil Fetherstonhaugh are co-authors of ‘They Never Came Home – the Stardust Story’.