State ceremony honours Stardust fire victims

The families of those killed, survivors and senior politicians were attending the event on Sunday.

President of Ireland Michael D Higgins during a Stardust ceremony of commemoration at the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin (Damien Storan/PA) (PA Wire)

A remembrance state ceremony is taking place in honour of the victims, survivors and those affected by the Stardust fire in Dublin.

The ceremony of commemoration is being led by Irish President Michael D Higgins in the Garden of Remembrance on Sunday, honouring the 48 people who died in the 1981 disaster.

Co-designed with the families of the victims, the ceremony was also remembering all those who helped victims and their families on the night and over the years since.

As well as Mr Higgins, Lord Mayor of Dublin Daithi de Roiste, Irish premier Simon Harris, deputy premier Micheal Martin and members of the Irish Government were in attendance.

Mr Higgins is laying a wreath on behalf of the people of Ireland at the ceremony, which was comprised of spoken word, music and song.

Music was being provided by the North Dublin Gospel Community Choir, the Artane Band and the Dublin Fire Brigade Band, with solo performances by Christy Moore, Zoe Conway, Kevin Rowsome, Mary Byrne and Eddie Sherlock.

Roddy Doyle will read a piece he composed especially for the ceremony entitled Names, and Fr Joe Jones will read a prayer.

Master of ceremonies for the event is Phelim Drew.

The majority of other attendees will be the families of those who died, survivors and first responders who worked on the night.

The families were laying wreaths in the cruciform pool and reading out the names of those who died, along with extracts from pen portraits.

After more than 40 years of the victims’ families campaigning for justice, an inquest in April found the 48 young people had been unlawfully killed.

The ceremony started at noon and was being televised live on RTE 1.