A remembrance ceremony in honour of the 48 victims of the 1981 Stardust disaster will take place in Dublin on Sunday, June 23rd.
Taoiseach Simon Harris will lead Government attendees at the event, likely to take place in the Garden of Remembrance, metres from the Pillar Room on the Rotunda Hospital campus where last month a jury found victims of the inferno had been unlawfully killed.
Inquests into the deaths of the 48 who died in a fire in the early hours of February 14th, 1981, in the Artane ballroom heard from more than 300 witnesses over the course of 122 days.
In a State apology, delivered in the Dáil on April 23rd, Mr Harris said their families had during 43 years been repeatedly failed by when they “needed [the State] most”.
In a statement, the Taoiseach said when he had met the families in Government Buildings in advance of the State apology he had committed to holding a “special remembrance ceremony”.
“I’m really happy that has now been confirmed. This will be a moment to remember those who lost their lives but I also hope it will be a moment for those injured, those who fought to save lives and those who fought for decades to have the 48 victims and their good names fully vindicated.
“I will lead the Government attendees at the official event and I hope that this, along with the official State apology delivered in the Dáil, will show 2024 to be the year where Ireland put right our duty to all involved in Stardust.”
Arrangements for the ceremony were being finalised in consultation with the families’ representatives, a Government spokesman said. However, the date had been set.
Welcoming the announcement Antoinette Keegan, who survived the blaze but lost her sisters Mary (19) and Martina (16), said Mr Harris had called her on Wednesday to confirm the event.
“We welcome this and see it as continuing acknowledgment from the State that what they have done to the families was wrong. The things that were promised after the inquests are happening and that is very welcome.”
She said counselling had been made available to families, and meetings had taken place with the Department of Education on including the Stardust tragedy in the history curriculum. “Redress is being looked at too so, credit to Simon Harris, he is doing all he promised he would do.”
She said the event on the 23rd would comprise music, prayers led by Bonnybrook parish moderator Fr Joseph Jones, and families would be invited to lay flowers as their loved ones’ names were read out.
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