Unlawful Killing verdicts at Stardust Inquests

On 18 April 2024 the jury at the inquests into the fire at the Stardust nightclub in Dublin in 1981 returned verdicts of unlawful killing in respect of all 48 of the deceased. 

The Stardust fire is often described as the greatest disaster to have occurred in the history of the Irish State. 48 young people died and 214 were injured. The average age of the deceased was 19 years old, with some as young as 16.

The verdicts are vindication for the families of the deceased, who battled for many years to secure a proper investigation into the disaster. In 2019 the families obtained a direction from the Attorney General for fresh inquests. The inquests were the longest running and largest in Irish history with the jury hearing evidence from 373 witnesses over 1 year. 

The Taoiseach, Simon Harris, said:

“The Stardust tragedy was one of the darkest moments in our history, a heartbreaking tragedy because of the lives that were lost, the families that were changed forever, and the long, drawn-out struggle for justice that followed.

“Their relentless pursuit of truth and accountability, their profound commitment to justice, even in the face of overwhelming challenges and setbacks, was not only a fight for their loved ones but a campaign to ensure that such a disaster never happens again.”

The former manager of the Stardust, Mr Eamon Butterly, brought judicial review proceedings to argue that unlawful killing was not available at an inquest in Ireland. The High Court rejected his claims on two occasions, setting an important precedent that unlawful killing is available as a verdict at inquests in Ireland. 

The families also helped bring about new legislation to assist with the inquests, including new legislation for jury selection. 

47 of the 48 families were represented by Conan Fegan and others at the inquests and in both judicial reviews regarding unlawful killing. Adam straw KC acted on behalf of the families for the purpose of the application to the Attorney General and, with Seán Guerin SC, acted in the first judicial review. They were instructed by Darragh Mackin of Pheonix Law solicitors. 

Media includes: RTE, BBC, The Guardian, ITV and Irish Times.