'Trapped and burnt alive': Families describe horror of Stardust tragedy

The fire claimed the lives of 48 people when it broke out in the Stardust premises in the early hours of February 14, 1981

Patricia Dunne said of her brother Brian Hobbs: 'Brian had grown into a fine young man, good looking, full of charm, the chat, very confident, and he loved clothes and to look well — in other words, he fancied himself.' Picture: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie

A father was diagnosed with fast onset dementia due to the unresolved grief at not being able to see his son’s body, which was only identifiable by his monogrammed belt, the inquest into the Stardust Ballroom fire heard.

The fire claimed the lives of 48 people when it broke out in the Stardust premises in Artane in the early hours of February 14, 1981. Portraits of the victims are being presented to the Dublin District Coroner’s Court currently sitting in the Pillar Room of the Rotunda Hospital.

Brian Hobbs

Patricia Dunne delivered a detailed pen portrait of her late brother Brian Hobbs, in which she described him as someone who loved music and clothes, and studied in Rockwell Hotel and Catering College in Co Tipperary.

When he finished his two years, he was sought after to join a catering team going to Zurich in Switzerland. He celebrated his 21st birthday in Zurich and one of the gifts he received was a handmade leather belt with the letter ‘B’ as the buckle. He returned home to continue his career.

“Brian had grown into a fine young man, good looking, full of charm, the chat, very confident, and he loved clothes and to look well — in other words, he fancied himself,” said Patricia.

On the night of the Stardust dance competition, Brian had friends taking part. None of the family knew he was going. The next morning, as she was listening to the news reports of the fire, Patricia said she felt “a sense of doom”. Her brother Peter rang around some friends and then rang Brian’s work, who informed him that Brian had gone to the Stardust.

“And so started the day that was to change our lives forever,” she said.

Brian was later identified at the morgue when her brother Peter and sister Ann stopped at what was left of someone with a piece of a leather belt with a buckle containing the initial 'B'.

Mam and Dad wanted to see Brian at the removal, but I had to tell them that the coffin was closed as Brian’s face was very badly bruised. Mam accepted this as much as she could — she was quite a practical woman. My Dad did not accept it. He really wanted to see Brian.

“The cemetery was the hardest part for us all. Dad was inconsolable. Mam was just very stunned and shocked by the magnitude of it all, as were all the rest of us,” she said.

Patricia said that her father had the beginning of dementia, and just after Brian’s death he was diagnosed with fast onset dementia due to the unresolved grief of not having seen Brian’s body.

She concluded by saying that it is important for her to find a certain closure for all of her family, some answers and, finally, justice.

Eugene 'Hughie' Hogan

24-year-old Eugene ‘Hughie’ Hogan was just one day away from beginning a new job and a new life in Kerry with his young family when he died in the fire.

A pen portrait of Hughie, written by the Hogan family, was read out by Mark Hogan, nephew of the deceased.

“Hughie had a beautiful voice and loved to sing everything from Bowie to Bob Marley. He could even hit the high notes of The Stylistics love songs. He loved to dance and would go to all the local dance halls in Artane and Coolock as a teenager, moving on to the downtown nightclubs as a young man. He was slim and good-looking; he loved to dress sharp in the latest styles.” 

Mark said that Hughie fell in love with Marie, who lived just up the street. They married on March 18, 1977, and had two beautiful daughters, Andrea and Sonia May. 

With the depression in Ireland at the beginning of the 80s, Hughie found himself out of work. He got an offer of a job and a new life, but he would have to move his wife and family to Kerry. They were to move to Kerry on February 15, 1981.

“On February 13, while his younger sisters would babysit his little girls, Hughie and Marie would celebrate with his brother Declan and wife Geraldine, saying goodbye to Dublin and toasting their future.

Later that evening Hughie and Marie would join his younger brother Bernard at the Stardust. The rest is the horrible nightmare we have all been living for the last 40 years.

He said that the days following the fire were a blur of disbelief, shock and sorrow. Hughie's parents drove to the hospitals trying to find the boys, and after many hours they located Bernard at the Mater Hospital, with burns to his head, face and hands.

“It was three days later when his older brother Edmund would identify Hughie’s body. Identity was confirmed by his belt and tattoo,” said Mark.

“The circumstances of Hughie’s death are unspeakable — indescribable to be trapped and burnt alive,” Mark concluded.