The jury in the inquest into the devastating fire at the Stardust nightclub in Dublin 43 years ago has returned verdicts of unlawful killing for each of the 48 victims.
The verdicts are being delivered at Dublin Coroner’s Court, sitting in the Pillar Home at the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin city centre.
The foreman of the jury had earlier told the court they had reached the same verdict in the deaths of each of the 48 individuals.
Forty-eight people died in a fire at the Stardust in Artane in north Dublin in the early hours of February 14th, 1981.
The verdicts came after the jury of seven women and five men deliberated for 11 days over three weeks.
Five verdicts were available – accidental, misadventure, unlawful killing, open verdict and narrative.
Coroner Dr Myra Cullinan had directed that majority verdicts would be accepted by the court after she was informed that the jury could not reach a unanimous decision.
On Wednesday, the jury foreman confirmed the majority verdicts had been reached.
Family members of the victims, some of whom are wearing ‘They never came home’ T-shirts while others held framed photos of their loved ones, are present in the Pillar Room to hear the verdicts.
More chairs were carried in from adjoining rooms to seat family members, while barristers and legal teams gave up their seats so the families could sit.
Following the delivery of the verdicts, the families will march to the Garden of Remembrance.
Updated: 3pm. Additional reporting by PA.
