FAMILIES of the 48 people who died in the Stardust nightclub fire 37 years ago have renewed their calls for an inquest into the blaze.
Relatives of the victims met in Dublin today for a press conference alongside Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan, and said they had not given up their fight "for truth and justice".
On the fateful night of February 14, 1981, some 800 people were in attendance at Stardust nightclub in Artane, north Dublin to celebrate Valentine's Day.
Aside from the 48 people who tragically lost their lives, 214 were injured – some with life-changing injuries – after a fire which began in a first-floor storeroom spread to the rest of the building.
The families said they planned to deliver 48,000 postcards to the office of Attorney General Seamus Woulfe in the coming weeks – postcards which they claim include enough fresh evidence to justify a new inquest.
They said 25,000 postcards had already been signed by activists and supporters of the Stardust Relatives and Victims Committee.
Nevertheless, the group added that an inquest was necessary on the basis of public interest alone.
The Stardust Justice Campaign are seeking a new inquest into the 1981 tragedy. These postcards are for supporters to send to the Attorney General. pic.twitter.com/I2Y8msUCzU
— aoife-grace moore. (@aoifegracemoore) August 7, 2018
Solicitor Darragh Mackin said the group's application to the Attorney General was now at an advanced stage, reports RTÉ News.
Lisa Lawlor, who lost both of her parents in the tragedy, said a new inquest would bring some sense of closure to the families.
Antoinette Keegan, who lost two sisters in the fire, added that justice needed to be delivered for those who died.
"We have been waiting 37 years. We want truth and justice," she said.
Despite a previous enquiry in 2009 finding clear breaches of fire safety regulations, the owners of Stardust never faced charges and have never apologised.
See More: 1981, Artane, Dublin, Inquest, Ireland, Nightclub Fire, Stardust Fire
