Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 6953Arson (suspected; no evidence of malicious cause found by gardaí) · Co. Dublin · 14 Feb 1981

Gardaí found no evidence Stardust fire was malicious, inquest hears

A fire at a north Dublin nightclub in the early hours of 14 February 1981 killed 48 people aged between 16 and 27. A 1981 tribunal concluded the probable explanation was that the fire was caused deliberately, but that finding was removed from the public record in 2009. No one has been charged or named as a suspect. On 11 December 2023, on day 91 of the inquests at Dublin Coroner's Court, gardaí said they found no evidence that the fire was malicious.

  1. Reported
  2. Arrested
  3. Charged
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
The fire killed 48 people aged between 16 and 27.
Where
The fire took place at a north Dublin nightclub.
When
The fire happened in the early hours of 14 February 1981.
Cause
  • The fire was first seen inside the ballroom at about 1.40am, on seats in a sectioned-off area known as the West alcove.
  • Gardaí found no evidence that the fire was malicious, but a 1981 tribunal concluded the probable explanation was that it was caused deliberately.
Other details
The tribunal's finding that the fire was probably deliberate was removed from the public record in 2009.
Investigation
  • Gardaí took 1,649 witness statements and 89 gardaí were involved in the investigation.
  • Detective Superintendent John Courtney led the investigation.
  • Likely suspects, including the Dragon and Soap gang, were checked and nothing was found to indicate their involvement.
  • Chains and padlocks were found still intact and hanging from exit doors about an hour after the blaze was extinguished.
Charges
No one has been charged or named as a suspect.
In court
The inquests were in their 91st day at Dublin Coroner's Court on 11 December 2023.
11 statements extracted from the articles
  • what48 people aged between 16 and 27 died in the fire. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe fire happened at a north Dublin nightclub. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe fire took place in the early hours of 14 February 1981. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeThe fire was first seen inside the ballroom at about 1.40am, on seats in a sectioned-off area known as the West alcove. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardaí took 1,649 witness statements and 89 gardaí were involved in the investigation. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationDetective Superintendent John Courtney led the investigation. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardaí found no evidence that the fire was malicious. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationLikely suspects, including the Dragon and Soap gang, were checked and nothing was found to indicate their involvement. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe inquests heard chains and padlocks were found still intact and hanging from exit doors about an hour after the blaze was extinguished. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe inquests were in their 91st day at Dublin Coroner's Court. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherA 1981 tribunal concluded the probable explanation was that the fire was caused deliberately; this finding was removed from the public record in 2009. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 11 Dec2023
    Otheririshtimes.com, first report
    Gardaí found no evidence to suggest Stardust fire was ‘malicious’, inquest hears

    Reports day 91 of the inquests into the 1981 Stardust fire at Dublin Coroner's Court, including gardaí's investigation findings and witness evidence about the exit doors. No one is charged or named as a suspect.

    victim, Eamon Loughman, 19, irish (judged from name)Eamon Loughman