Stardust inquest jury told 'where possible, you decide what happened' 

A poster featuring the faces of all 48 victims hangs on the wall of the courtroom in the Rotunda Hospital where the Stardust inquest is taking place. Picture: Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie

The jury in the fresh Stardust inquest have been told they are the “arbiters of the facts” they will hear in evidence, “in an attempt to reveal the truth in a public forum”.

“And, where possible, you decide what happened,” Dublin city coroner Dr Myra Cullinane told the 15-person jury as the inquest turned to its next phase.

“I wish to thank you in advance for the important task you’re about to undertake. Your service as a juror is one of utmost importance. I’m immensely grateful to you for answering your summons.” 

After families and friends of the 48 people who died in the Stardust fire opened proceedings with emotional pen portraits talking about the lives of their loved ones in recent weeks, the coroner said on Tuesday that the inquests have now moved to the formal process and hearing of evidence.

The entire process of hearing these inquests is “likely to run until the end of the year”, she said, although she said the court may have a better understanding of time frames as they go through the witnesses, of which there are more than 300 listed.

Dr Cullinane began by setting out some of the basic facts of the event, which happened on a night where more than 800 people had attended for a disco dancing competition in the popular North Dublin venue.

Family and friends of those who died in the Stardust fire at the Coroners Court. Picture: Gareth Chaney/ Collins 

The outbreak of the fire and subsequent loss of life “left an indelible mark” on Artane and surrounding suburbs in the area, she said.

Briefly referencing previous inquiries into the Stardust fire, Dr Cullinane said: “The question you might pose, why are we holding these inquests now?” 

She cited the decision of the attorney general to grant new inquests back in 2019, where he had said there had been no reference to the surrounding circumstances “in particular the cause or causes of the fire” at the original inquests in 1982.

“It does not appear that questions as to the cause or causes of the fire were canvassed to a sufficient degree, if indeed at all, at the original inquests,” then-attorney general Seamus Woulfe said. 

“I therefore consider that in the original inquests there was an insufficiency of inquiry as to how the deaths occurred.” 

'Fact-finding exercise'

Dr Cullinane said the jury is on a “fact-finding exercise” in these inquests and it is not a “method of apportioning guilt”.

“Your task is to hear all the evidence of the witnesses setting out the facts around these tragic deaths and reach conclusions or make what is known as findings based on that evidence and to record verdicts based on the evidence,” she said.

I’ve mentioned before in making your findings, and recording your verdict, nobody can be blamed or exonerated, or excused. A verdict cannot decide or appear to decide criminal or civil liability.” 

The coroner said jurors should approach the evidence with an “open mind” and base their considerations only on the evidence they hear.

The witnesses will be heard across four phases — staff and management of the Stardust ballroom, patrons and persons nearby on the night, emergency responders and expert witnesses.

On Wednesday, counsel for the coroner’s team will deliver to the jury a set of “uncontested facts” about the Stardust and surrounding the fire, to help inform what they will then hear in evidence in the coming weeks and months.

The calling of witnesses will begin on June 7.