Coroner hopes Stardust inquests will begin before more victims’ family members die

Dublin coroner Dr Myra Cullinane has said she hopes the Stardust inquests will begin before any more family members of those who were killed in the 1981 inferno die.

She was speaking at the 14th pre-inquest hearing on Wednesday, in response to the news that the mothers of victims Margaret Kiernan and Helena Mangan had died since the last hearing in May. Their deaths bring to 15 the number of victims’ family members who have died since the then attorney general, Séamus Woulfe, gave direction that the Stardust inquests be reopened in September 2019.

Forty-eight young people died and 128 were injured in the fire at the Artane nightclub in the early hours of February 14th, 1981. It is one of the highest losses of life in a fire in the history of the State.

“I am very sorry to hear of the passing of two further members of families, Mrs Kiernan and Mrs Mangan,” said Dr Cullinane.

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“We were advised at the last pre-inquest hearing of another family member who had died, and according to my records I think we had 13 members of families that have died since the direction of the attorney general, and now to that number I add these further two members of family that have died.

“I offer my very deepest condolences to the families, the Kiernan family and the Mangan family.

“This is something, I am sure that everyone is mindful of. We [do] not wish to see increasing numbers of family members passing away before we reach the hearing of these inquests.”

She said preparatory work for starting the inquests in September or early October was well under way.

Lists of up to 500 witnesses have been submitted to the coroner, though attempts will be made in coming weeks by the parties’ legal teams to distil this figure.

A judicial review brought by former manager of the Stardust, Eamon Butterly, aimed at preventing a verdict of unlawful killing in the inquests, is due for hearing at the High Court next month.