Johnny Colgan remembered at Stardust inquest into fire deaths

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Families of people who died in the Stardust fire gave testimony at the inquest in Dublin on 27 April 2023, the third day of proceedings.

Susan Behan described her brother Johnny Colgan, 21, as lively and generous. She said his death left her with lasting fear for her children and a sense of loss that had not diminished.

Siobhan Kearney recounted that her brother Liam Dunne survived for about a month in hospital after the fire before dying from his injuries on 11 March 1981, aged 18. She said the family continued to carry the grief.

Alison Keane spoke about the effect of her sister Jacqueline Croker’s death on their family and community. She said she was taken home to be sedated after seeing the coffins at the funeral.

The inquest was examining the nightclub’s response to the fire and the emergency services’ response, including whether the blaze and deaths could have been prevented.