Stardust inquests resume with key witnesses still to be heard 

These inquests may be years in the making, but as it returns again today, the end to a very long road may finally be coming into view

The damaged remains of the Stardust Disco in Dublin, after its fire in 1981, where 48 people died. Picture: Tony Harris/PA

This month marks four years since the fresh inquests for those who died in the Stardust fire were ordered, marking the culmination of a long, sustained campaign by families of the victims.

In ordering the hearing, the Attorney General said there would have been an “insufficiency of inquiry” as to the how the deaths of 48 young people in the north Dublin ballroom occurred.

Fast forward to September 2023, and the sufficient inquiry kicks off again in earnest, with the most crucial evidence still yet to come.

Prior to breaking for the summer, Dublin City coroner Dr Myra Cullinane and the 14-person jury had heard weeks of testimony primarily from young workers at the popular Artane venue on the night of the fire itself in the early hours of February 14, 1981.

Again and again, it heard how crowds had packed in for the disco dancing competition and how people first began to notice flames in the blocked-off tiered seating area dubbed the west alcove shortly after the competition came to its conclusion and the dancefloor was still packed. It heard of the panic that ensued and the melee as people tried to escape.

It has heard of staff noticing smoke on other nights, and of issues with the electricity supply at the venue. And, crucially, it also heard at great length about the practice of keeping emergency exit doors locked at the beginning of disco nights.

Those themes will be retread anew when proceedings kick off again today, with some crucial witnesses set to give evidence in the coming weeks.

One of them is Michael Kavanagh. The inquest has heard from multiple men who worked in the Stardust as doormen on the night of the fire, and Mr Kavanagh is one such man it has yet to see in the witness box.

The inquest has heard that Mr Kavanagh, a junior doorman at the time, went on RTÉ’s Today Tonight programme a few days after the fire and said that he had unlocked all the exits on the night. However, several days later, he gave a statement to gardaí stating the opposite. That he had not unlocked the doors at all that night.

Mr Kavanagh’s statements were put to Leo Doyle in the witness box in July. Mr Doyle was the deputy head doorman at the time of the fire, having recently taken on the role.

It also suggested that Mr Doyle and another doorman had gone to the home of Mr Kavanagh and told his parents he should retract his original statement saying he had unlocked the doors.

Many of these strands will likely be examined when Mr Kavanagh takes to the witness box.

Manager to take to stand 

Another key witness expected to give evidence at the inquests is Eamon Butterly. Mr Butterly was the manager of the Stardust club, and the whole complex, incorporating the adjacent Silver Swan pub and Lantern Rooms bar and restaurant, was owned by the Butterly family.

The inquest has already heard of the practice of draping chains around emergency exits to give the appearance the doors were locked. It has heard of the difficulty in opening the doors when draped in such a way. And this was after the doors would be initially locked at the beginning of a disco night.

The policy around making doors appear as if locked was said to have arisen over issues around patrons letting friends in without paying. On certain nights, it appeared as if the number of people in the ballroom didn’t tally with the takings at the door.

Giving evidence at the inquests in July, doorman John Furley said that he did not know if Mr Butterly was “very vexed” by people getting in for free, but that Mr Butterly “didn’t like to be bested”.

We can expect Mr Butterly to be asked about this in great detail, particularly from counsel for the families of the those who died in the fire.

He’ll also be asked about the state of the building, what materials had been used to convert the premises, the policies and training for staff, and many other facets. Mr Doyle spent the guts of a week in the witness box. It is likely Mr Butterly could face similar or even longer.

And, as we enter this critical stage of the inquests, the importance of the upcoming weeks cannot be overstated for families of those killed in the Stardust fire.

They’ve waited years for the chance to get answers as to what happened and a chance at closure. They bravely stood up at the podium one by one to talk about their loved one to open the inquests in April and May of this year, creating a vivid image of what they were like as a person, giving them a voice again.

The evidence will not finish with Mr Butterly, however. The inquests will also hear from patrons on the night, first responders, and expert testimony all before the jury retires to consider its verdict.

These inquests may be four years, and indeed 42 years, in the making. But, as it returns again today, the end to a very long road may finally be coming into view.