In a transferring pen portrait of her pal Susan Morgan (19), who died within the fireplace, Yvonne Graham advised the Stardust Inquest how she and Susie have been a part of a gaggle of women who moved from Derry to Dublin to work within the Nazareth Home care residence in Donnycarney.
She stated their lives within the capital have been a “huge distinction” to Derry as they left a spot in battle and arrived in a metropolis “buzzing with life and freedom”.
Nonetheless, she stated that every one modified on the night time of February 13, 1981 when “our carefree life in Dublin was all of a sudden, brutally, minimize quick”.
Yvonne advised how on the day after the hearth, she and a companion went across the hospitals finally ending up within the morgue the place she recognised Susan’s garments.
“There was one shoe and the shirt she had been sporting — a shirt she had borrowed for the night time from considered one of us — and her signet ring. I used to be in bits,” she advised the Coroner’s Court docket right now.
Yvonne was offering the portrait of Susan as a part of the inquest happening on the Pillar Room within the Rotunda Hospital into the tragedy that occurred on the Stardust Ballroom in Artane within the early hours of February 14, 1981.
The inquest into the hearth, which claimed the lives of 48 younger folks, has now entered its second week.
Images of among the Stardust fireplace victims positioned on the Backyard of Remembrance in Dublin forward of the primary day of the inquest final week. Photograph: PA — © PA
Yvonne stated Susie, as she was recognized, was raised by her granny and the 2 ladies “doted on one another”.
She stated when she and Susie moved to Dublin as half of a giant group of women, they lived in Nazareth Home the place they labored and shared lodging.
Susie was a tom-boy who as “vigorous” and beloved soccer, taking part in on the A-team for Shantallow Soccer Membership in her native Derry.
{The teenager} was humorous and beloved sensible jokes, Yvonne stated, as soon as waking her up shouting: “We’re late for work! We slept in”.
“As I used to be throwing water on my face and getting dressed, she was falling about, laughing, as a result of it was nonetheless the nighttime.”
Susie beloved Dublin and the “freedom and risk” it represented, she stated.
Susie seen a number of little variations within the massive metropolis, just like the variety of folks fortunately biking round. “That’s not one thing that was frequent in locations the place motion was extra restricted within the north”.
A member of Dublin Fireplace Brigade walks by way of the charred ruins of the Stardust Ballroom after the hearth in February 1981
“She beloved to really feel the thrilling ambiance and the excitement of the town once we stepped off the bus onto the footpath in O’Connell Road,” Yvonne stated, including that Susie didn’t simply love Dublin, she had additionally fallen in love with sufferer Paul Wade and was “mad on him”.
“We have been having a ball. I don’t suppose we stayed in even for one night time,” she stated.
Yvonne turned emotional as she described the occasions of that February night time: “On the night time of the Stardust fireplace, we noticed horrible, horrible, issues that no one ought to ever see. We have been solely younger, and we noticed different younger folks die proper in entrance of us.”
“I used to be taken to the Mater Hospital. The place was rammed. I keep in mind everybody round me with massive, black, burnt faces.”
Yvonne stated she didn’t understand how she bought residence to Nazareth Home the subsequent day and advised how the nuns gave her whiskey in tea “for shock” earlier than she left once more to seek out Susie within the morgue, recognised her by one shoe and a borrowed shirt.
Yvonne advised how on the day after the hearth, she and a companion went across the hospitals finally ending up within the morgue the place she recognised Susan’s garments
She stated that within the weeks following the hearth: “There was blame. Within the grief and loss, us women have been blamed for Susie being killed within the fireplace. We have been blamed for taking her away from her residence in Derry, for taking her away into hazard.”
Their carefree life in Dublin was all of a sudden, brutally, minimize quick, she stated, and their households needed them again in Derry.
“You go from being younger, free, and single, after which the whole thing has simply collapsed down on prime of you. We by no means spoke in regards to the trauma. We blocked it out.”
Nonetheless, Yvonne advised how it will resurface at night time. “In nightmares, I noticed burnt our bodies developing the mattress at me. I needed to take sedatives. I used to be solely 18 and I used to be simply sitting staring into house.”
She stated the results of the hearth have carried on by way of time and she or he is obsessive about pulling out plugs in the home, ensuring there can’t be {an electrical} fireplace.
“Even after I know I’ve already gone spherical the home and already checked that they’re disconnected, I’ve the compulsion to test them once more,” she stated.
I used to be taken to the Mater hospital. The place was rammed. I keep in mind everybody round me with massive, black, burnt faces
Yvonne stated the trauma of the Stardust fireplace additionally has “a snowball impact, gathering up different lives that weren’t straight concerned in it” and advised the way it has affected the lives of her kids, although they weren’t born on the time.
“They have been by no means allowed a chip pan in the home. I stocked up on a number of microwaveable chips – something and every little thing to verify there received’t be a fireplace,” she stated. “All over the place I am going, I’m all the time checking fireplace exits. The nervousness by no means leaves you.”
She stated St Valentine’s Day is her youngest grandchild’s birthday however can be “a horrible time too”. She stated that when the day comes round, as a substitute of celebrating life, “we’re plunged into horrible recollections. Normality has been taken away”.
Yvonne stated she hopes the brand new inquests will carry justice for individuals who have been ready for thus lengthy.
“Susie was so younger. She had her complete life in entrance of her. All of that – all the probabilities within the life forward of her – have been taken away from her within the Stardust fireplace. We must always not have needed to wait so lengthy for justice,” she concluded.