Stardust: Identifying remains of those killed in fire ‘unbearable’ in many cases, says coroner

The task of identifying remains of children and young people killed in the 1981 Stardust inferno was “unbearable” in many cases, the Dublin coroner said on Wednesday.

Dr Myra Cullinane made her comments at the conclusion of forensic pathology evidence for the 48 victims of fire at the north Dublin nightclub in the early hours of February 14th, 1981. Over six days expert witnesses, engaged to review the 1981 postmortems files, provided causes of death for each of the dead.

Details on how each victims’ remains were identified were also heard. Pathology reports on the final 10 victims were heard on Wednesday with family members for most present in court or tuned in online.

Helena Mangan (22) from Coolock died as a “inhalation of fire fumes”, the court heard*. Her daughter, Samantha, aged four at the time of her death, was in court on Wednesday.

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Julie McDonnell (20), from Coolock, was identified at 3.10pm on February 14th, 1981, at the mortuary in Store Street, by her father, Patrick McDonnell who recognised fragments from her long blue dress, gold ring and gold necklace chain with pearls. She died as a result of “rapid incapacitation due to inhalation of fire fumes, and heat”.

Caroline McHugh (17), from Artane, was identified by her parents Maurice and Phyliss at 9.45pm on February 14th, 1981, at the mortuary, having returned from a family wedding in England. They recognised their only child’s clothing and jewellery. She died as a result of “rapid incapacitation due to inhalation of fire fumes, and heat”.

David Morton (19), from Artane, was identified by his father, William Morton, through his clothing and jewellery – a silver bangle, silver chain and gold ring with ‘DM’ inscribed – at 3.39pm on February 14th at the mortuary. He died due to “rapid incapacitation due to inhalation of fire fumes, and heat”.

Kathleen Muldoon (19) from Kells, Co Meath, was identified by her nursing assistant colleague, Susan Lawlor at 9pm on 15th February at the mortuary, who recognised Kathleen’s clothing and gold double-link chain. She died due to “rapid incapacitation due to inhalation of fire fumes, and heat”.

George O’Connor (17) from Coolock was identified through his dental records, on 15th February. The court heard he sustained extensive burn damage, but had inhaled “significant quantities of toxic fumes”. He had one of the highest cyanide levels of all victims and would have been “very rapidly incapacitated”. His cause of death was “rapid incapacitation due to inhalation of fire fumes, and heat”.

Brendan O’Meara (23) from Coolock survived for 11 days in intensive care (ICU) in the now closed Jervis Street hospital. He had been brought in the same ambulance as Josephine Glen (16) and Caroline Carey (17) who both perished. He was pronounced dead at 8.50am in the ICU on 25th February and was identified by his brother, John, at 3.05pm in Store Street mortuary. His cause of death was given as “complications of burns and inhalation of fire fumes”.

John Stout (18), from Coolock, was identified through his dental records. He had attended the Stardust with his siblings, and girlfriend Helena Mangan who perished. It is not known where he was when the fire was seen inside the ballroom. He died as a result of “rapid incapacitation due to inhalation of fire fumes, and heat”.

Margaret Thornton (19), from Dublin 1, had been at the Stardust with her boyfriend Murtagh Kavanagh who perished. She was identified by her brother John at 4.05pm on the 15th, who recognised a fragment of her jumper. She died as a result of “inhalation of fire fumes”.

Paul Wade (17) from Artane remained unidentified for 26 years. His remains were exhumed in St Fintan’s cemetery, Sutton, in February 2007 and underwent analysis of his mitochondrial DNA which is inherited on the maternal line. Comparison of his mitochondrial DNA with that of his brother Tony enable identification. He had been at the Stardust with his brothers, and his girlfriend Susie Morgan (19) who also perished. His death was caused by “rapid incapacitation due to inhalation of fire fumes, and heat”.

At the conclusion of Paul Wade’s pathology report, Dr Cullinane said the pathology evidence had revealed “how unbearably distressing the identification process must have been for each of the bereaved families”.

It had been “complicated” in many cases “with fire damage to the remains such that it was only permitted that identification could take place by way of viewing jewellery, property, clothing. We know and have heard how very distressing that was for the families affected”.

Referring to the distress a number of families expressed, that their loved ones had been allocated body numbers in the mortuary, she hoped, having heard how complex the identification process had been, that they could “understand this was a ... very significant and painstaking process that had to be undertaken in order that the families could be reunited with their loved ones ... There was no disrespect intended in terms of the allocation of numbers”.

She hoped it would be “some small consolation to families, that in most cases the pathologists have confirmed the noxious environment would have led to very rapid unconsciousness, unawareness of the predicament in which each of those young people found themselves at the Stardust”.

The inquests continue with fire experts’ evidence from Monday.

*This article was amended to correct an error

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