Courts / Dublin / Report
Stardust victim had premonition of death, inquest hears
Summary
The inquest into the 1981 Stardust nightclub fire, which claimed 48 lives, heard a pen portrait of 17‑year‑old Robert Kelly. Antoinette Keegan, a friend of Kelly's late brother Eugene, recounted that Kelly had a premonition of his death three weeks before the fire. He reportedly lay on his bed, had an out‑of‑body experience, and told Eugene he would die young and was not afraid. Keegan described Kelly as a beloved, spiky‑haired youth who loved his mother deeply. The portrait also noted that Kelly was last seen alive at the Stardust, laughing with friends before the fire erupted. The inquest also heard a portrait of Robert "Bobby" Hillick, a Belfast‑born man who worked on a Dublin building site and was killed in the same blaze. Bill Hillick, Bobby's brother, described Bobby as hardworking, close to family, and deeply affected by his death.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Stardust victim had premonition of death, inquest hears. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- February 14, 1981 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2023-05-04 Publication
Why: He nicknamed himself Spiky, because of his hair, as it used to be very spiky," she said. CNI source report
Places mentioned
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