Memorials unveiled to victims of Stardust and Covid-19

Two memorials in honour of people who died of Covid-19 and the victims of the Stardust fire have been unveiled in Dublin.

The Irish Nurses’ and Midwives’ Organisation (INMO) unveiled the two memorial benches at the Richmond Education Centre where Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he was committed to ensuring the new Stardust inquest was provided with the necessary resources to bring some closure for families.

The ceremony was on the 41st anniversary of the disaster, in which 48 young people died after a blaze engulfed the Stardust ballroom in Artane, north Dublin. Many victims of the disaster were treated at the Richmond when it was still operating as a hospital.

Addressing the crowd, Mr Martin paid tribute to the young people who died in the tragedy.

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“The events of that night had an immense impact on everyone, those who attended the dance, their families and the wider local community and indeed the entire nation,” he said.

“I know that the families are still on a journey for justice. I want you to know that I’m committed to ensuring that the new inquest into this tragedy, and of course the families as well, are provided with all the relevant resources and supports you need.

“This is a very long and painful journey for you. We will continue to work with you to progress this and to get some sense, if that’s possible, of closure for you.”

‘We have waited’

Mr Martin met the families of the Stardust victims after the ceremony in relation to some aspects of the hearings, including uncertainties around the empanelling of a jury due to the expected length of the inquest and the fact that jurors for inquests have always been unpaid. Minister for Justice Helen McEntee is considering a request to allow jurors to be paid in this instance.

The Taoiseach said he would communicate with Ms McEntee and “pursue some of the issues” they raised with him.

Antoinette Keegan, chairwoman of the Stardust Victims Committee, whose sisters Mary and Martina died in the fire, said the meeting with the Taoiseach on the inquest was “positive”.

“We discussed the issues that are outstanding. We have the venue but we can’t proceed because of the jury selection and the jury payments. We have waited 41 years for it. This is for us,” she said.

Veteran journalist Charlie Bird also attended, having spoken at an anniversary event on Sunday. He became emotional as he sat on the memorial bench with Ms Keegan, who he described as a close friend.

In November 1981, a tribunal of inquiry into the disaster concluded the fire was probably caused by arson and effectively exonerated the owners of the nightclub.

It was disputed by survivors and victims’ families, who have campaigned for a new inquest ever since.

‘Protecting others’

Fresh inquests into the deaths were ordered by then attorney general Séamus Woulfe in September 2019.

A preliminary inquest hearing took place in Dublin earlier this month.

Speaking about the second memorial, dedicated to everyone who lost their lives during the Covid-19 pandemic and especially to healthcare workers who died in such circumstances, Mr Martin said there wasn’t “sufficient tribute” that could be made.

“Each one of them was a valued and much-loved individual who devoted their lives to protecting others. They were our wives, husbands, friends and partners, sons, daughters and colleagues,” he said.

“They really can’t be thanked enough for their work, for their sacrifice. We will, however, remember them. We must not forget their heroic contributions.”

Both memorial pieces were designed by Irish artist Robert Ballagh. Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly and Health Service Executive chief executive Paul Reid were also in attendance at the unveiling.

Phil Ni Sheaghdha, general secretary of the INMO, said she hoped the memorials showed the families of those who died that “we appreciate your loss”.

“We lost many of our co-workers, but we didn’t lose as many in other countries. We are very proud of that. We are very proud of the way we cared for patients, and we are very proud of the approach we took,” she added.