The inquest into the 1981 Stardust tragedy continued today, with family members remembering their lost loved ones
THE BROTHER OF Stardust nightclub victim Jimmy Buckley has spoken of guilt “eating away” at him in the wake of his brother’s death and said that he believes the death by heart attack years later of another brother was also caused by the “horrific night” when fire swept through the Dublin nightclub, claiming the lives of 48 people.
Errol was providing a pen portrait of his late brother as part of the inquest taking place at the Pillar Room in the Rotunda Hospital into the tragedy that occurred at the Stardust Ballroom in Artane in the early hours of 14 February 1981. He said that he was dancing in the Valentine’s disco competition in the Stardust that night, which started around midnight.
Errol Buckley concluded by saying: “You might say, it’s been 40 years, just let it go. Well I ask you, if it was your brother, sister, son, daughter, how would you feel?” Christina said that the couple were blessed to welcome their beautiful daughter Julieann on 13 February 1980. Christina said that Jimmy’s brother Erroll had made it to the final of the dance competition in the Stardust.
Maria delivered a heartfelt pen portrait of Caroline, whom she described as a much-loved daughter, sister, auntie, niece, granddaughter and cousin. Maria said that in the early hours of the 14th, she was woken by a knock on the door and assumed it was Caroline. Maria said that Caroline died from toxic fumes and did not suffer, as she would have died in seconds. She said that even now, she can clearly see Caroline looking peaceful in her coffin.
She said that there have been many family events since and Caroline is always remembered and mentioned. She said that there have been many nieces and nephews born into the family since Caroline’s death and most of the girls have Caroline as their middle name, so her name lives on. She also said that three weeks before Caroline’s death, she revealed to the family that she was expecting a baby.
“For a split second when I open my eyes, I hope and then realise it’s only a dream and our beautiful, bubbly, witty Caroline is gone and will never come home.” She said that Paula was “always the peacemaker in our house” for whom “going to bed in an argument was not in her nature”. “Later that evening, little did we know that the distant sound of sirens would be the start of a nightmare that we could not awaken from,” said Maria.
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