Protesters mount picket as Stardust pub opens again
Victims' families express outrage
Shane Hickey
THE families of the Stardust victims expressed outrage last night after a pub at the site of the tragedy re-opened for business.
Last night, the 'Silver Swan' opened its doors for the first time since the tragedy 25 years ago which claimed 48 lives.
A group of about 30 protesters, including a large number of victims' relations, continued an ongoing demonstration at the site of the re-opened bar.
But the pub, divided into two separate bars linked by doors, remained largely empty last night as the protest continued outside.
At around 7.30pm, just eight customers sat inside the pub, which had two doormen stationed outside.
Dublin publican, Jason Gamble, was granted an interim licence for the 'Silver Swan' pub at Kilmore Road in Artane a number of weeks ago.
Last night was the first time the pub has been opened since the licence was transferred from Patrick Butterly & Sons Ltd to Mr Gamble.
Antoinette Keegan, who lost her sisters, Mary (19) and Martina (16) in the 1981 blaze, said it was "very emotional" and "very insensitive" that the pub had reopened, with the same name as when the blaze happened.
Mr Gamble, who also runs the Headline pub at the corner of Dublin's North Circular Road, had told the court at the licence hearing that the name of the pub would be changed to Skellys, the name used for the past 15 years.
Last night Mr Gamble said he had no comment to make on the matter.
The group of protesters, which grew steadily during the evening, carried placards in memory of the victims and played the Christy Moore song 'They Never Came Home,' written in memory of the dead.
"I cannot see how anyone would have the heart to hold a licence for that pub," said Ms Keegan.
Mr Gamble had told the court through his barrister at the licence hearing that he had no personal connection with the Butterly family, who own the 'Silver Swan'.
There was substantial support for the protesters yesterday, with cars passing the Artane site continually honking to back the protestors. Sinn Fein Councillor, Larry O'Toole, said the reopening smacked of "contempt for the victims" and was another step back for the families.
Ms Keegan said the families were requesting photos of the post-mortems of the victims, to complete a submission on the blaze which will be sent to Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
A number of the protesters expressed disbelief that the bar had been reopened under its original name, saying that it was an affront to the victims who died.
Inside the pub, two small groups of people sat at the different bars, the rest of the pub remaining quiet.
'No approach'
Ms Keegan said that no approach had been made to the families about the reopening of the controversial venue.
The Stardust tragedy has been reignited in the last two months following the 25th anniversary of the fire and the screening of an RTE docum-drama into the blaze.
Families of the victims will have an oppourtunity to lodge a court objection to the premesis when the licence comes up for renewal in September.
A huge campaign was launched against the reopening of the pub, with in the region of 22,000 signatures collected.
Mr Gamble had said that he would erect a memorial to those wo died after consultation with the local community.
