TAOISEACH Simon Harris has paid tribute to the families of the Stardust tragedy at a commemoration ceremony in Dublin this afternoon.
Speaking at the Garden of Remembrance, Mr Harris said the names of the 48 people who died in the 1981 nightclub fire ‘will never be forgotten because of you’.
Earlier this year, the Taoiseach issued a state apology after an inquest found the victims, who ranged in age from 16 to 27, were unlawfully killed in the fire in Artane, north Dublin.
“You have ensured that their names are written in the history books just as their 48 young faces are etched on our national collective memory,” said Mr Harris.
The Taoiseach was joined at today’s ceremony by President Michael D. Higgins, who laid a wreath on behalf of the people of Ireland.
A member of each victim’s family also laid a wreath in the garden’s cruciform pool as their names were read out.
During the ceremony, there was music from the North Dublin Gospel Community Choir, the Artane Band and the Dublin Fire Brigade Band.
There were also performances from Mary Byrne, Eddie Sherlock and Kevin Rowsome, while Christy Moore sang an a cappella version of his song about the tragedy, They Never Came Home.
Meanwhile, writer Roddy Doyle read a piece he composed especially for the ceremony entitled Names.
The families of the victims helped design the commemoration to remember those who died and were affected by the disaster, which occurred in the early hours of Valentine Day.
It was the families and their long fight for the truth that the Taoiseach paid tribute to this afternoon.
“Today we commemorate the vision of the families who decided never, ever, ever would they allow truth to be oppressed,” he said.
“You have ensured that your loved ones and the Stardust tragedy will be remembered by the generations to come.
“You have ensured that their names are written in the history books just as their 48 young faces are etched on our national collective memory.
“Above all, what has shone through, driving your fight and determination, is the abiding love and loyalty that you have for your daughters, your sons, your sisters, your brothers, your mothers, fathers, uncles, aunts.”
He added: “You, the families, should be so proud of this commemoration — it is your commemoration, we are here because of you.
“It has been designed to honour those people that you love and that you lost in the most awful of circumstance.
“Their names will never be forgotten because of you and you can be proud that due to your perseverance, your resilience and above all your love, that we as a nation and as a State finally, publicly commemorate them with you today.”
In a statement after the ceremony, President Higgins said he was honoured to lay a wreath on behalf of the people of Ireland at the ceremony.
“I look forward to welcoming families who lost loved ones and those who were injured in the fire to Áras an Uachtaráin in the autumn,” he added.