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'A mother's grief is as timeless as her love': Stardust Inquest opens with pen portraits
Summary
In the opening day of the Stardust inquest, Gertrude Barrett, mother of 17‑year‑old Michael Barrett, recounted the devastation of losing her son in the February 1981 nightclub fire. She described the four days she spent waiting at the Dublin city morgue for Michael's body to be identified, the callousness she felt, and the shock of learning he was the last of the 40 victims to be identified. Barrett spoke of Michael's cheerful personality, his ambitions as a plumber‑DJ apprentice, and his love of music and family. She reflected on the lasting grief that has followed her family, the impact on her other children, and the 40‑year fight for justice. The inquest began with pen portraits, a tradition that allows families to publicly commemorate those who died, before formal evidence is heard. The hearing also included testimony from other bereaved families, such as Betty Bissett, whose daughter Carol died in hospital three days after the blaze.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'A mother's grief is as timeless as her love': Stardust Inquest opens with pen portraits. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- February 14th, 1981 Incident
- February 13 Incident
- 13th February 1981 Incident
- February 20 Other
- February 14, 1981 Other
- 2023-04-25 Publication
Why: "Given the centrality of the deceased and their families to the inquests I have decided that we should commence with this distinct phase because it allows the families to publicly commemorate those who died. CNI source report
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