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'The dead cannot cry out for justice. It is the duty of the living to do so for them,' Stardust inquest told

Summary

At the Dublin Coroner's Court inquest into the Stardust nightclub fire, the McDermott family spoke about the loss of three siblings—William, George and Marcella—who died on 14 February 1981. The sisters presented pen portraits of each victim, describing William as a 22‑year‑old "tall strong lad" with a bright smile, George as a 19‑year‑old with a cheeky grin and Marcella as a 16‑year‑old who was with friends that night. The family expressed frustration that the Irish State had not conducted a proper investigation into their deaths over the past four decades. June McDermott said, "The dead cannot cry out for justice. It is the duty of the living to do so for them," and the family highlighted the profound grief and lack of external support they endured after the tragedy. The inquest was held in the Pillar Room of the Rotunda Hospital.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: 'The dead cannot cry out for justice. It is the duty of the living to do so for them,' Stardust inquest told. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• February 14, 1981 Other
• February 18 Other
• 2023-05-11 Publication

Why: Selina said that Marcella was only officially identified on February 18 because they had to wait for dental records. CNI source report

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial

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Read the original CNI report