Families welcome 'important day' as Stardust fire inquest set to begin
Relatives of the 48 people who died in a fire at a Dublin nightclub 42 years ago have said it is a "massive" and "important" day as the long-awaited fresh inquest is set to begin.
An original inquest in 1982 lasted just five days and recorded the cause of the deaths in accordance with medical evidence, with no reference to the circumstances or the cause of the fire. Antoinette Keegan, whose two sisters, Mary and Martina, died in the tragedy, said finding out why loved ones died is the most important thing the inquest can provide.
"Today, the pen portraits are going to be read, and it's getting done in alphabetical order, so Michael Barrett will be read today and Carol Bissett," said Ms Keegan. She added: "We hope it will achieve what it sets out to be according to the Coroners Act: the finding of fact which will be given in the evidence from the witnesses and it will be given in the evidence from the experts. The finding of fact of why our loved ones died and how they died. That's the most important thing."
"It's disappointing it's taken so long to get to this stage but, crucially and most importantly, today marks the start of what hopefully is the end of this campaign for truth and justice.
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