Liam Dunne (18), Coolock - ‘Our family had so much hope he would pull through’

The inquests into the deaths of the 48 young people who died in the Stardust fire in Artane, Dublin in 1981 feature pen portraits of each of the deceased by, read by bereaved family members. Find all of the portraits and more coverage here.

Liam was the third eldest in our family and was a truly loved son and brother. He was training as a butcher, which he loved. Liam was a loving boy and had many friends that he enjoyed being with.

We both loved music and would pool money together to by records. The last one we bought together was Rainbow’s Since you Been Gone.

Liam left the house that evening on February 13th, 1981 to enjoy time with his friends after a week of work. On Saturday morning after the fire I found Liam in the Mater hospital. Mum and dad were searching the other hospitals.

All 48 Stardust deaths the result of unlawful killing

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A lot of my friends were there that night so it was horrible walking through the hospital, searching. My friend Bernard Hogan was there and he asked me to look for his brother, Eugene. I told him I was looking for my brother, Liam. Bernard said: “The guy over there’s name is Liam”.

It was Liam’s face all swollen with bandages on his hands and arms. He was spitting up stuff.

I said, “I’m here Liam. It’s Siobhán”. He said, “I was crawling on the floor. My hands were melting”.

That evening, Liam was taken for an operation because the blood flow in his hands was bad. He was moved to the ICU that night and was given 24 hours to live. He was put beside his good friend Jimmy Fitzpatrick.

The hours turned to days, and to weeks. Our family had so much hope that he would pull through. He was getting better. For the next month, we were up in hospital every day. Our families would take turns to sit with Liam while others attended the funerals of our friends.

On March 10th I spent hours making tapes so they could lie in pain but listen to music. I was on my way up, on March 11th, on the bus to the Mater hospital and when I arrived Liam had died at 11.50 that Wednesday morning. I also died. I was 16 and I have carried that pain.

Liam was truly a strong young man to fight so hard for his life. Liam was buried in Sutton graveyard.

My brother’s passing has resulted in changing all of us as people, because living with such a young death at a young age causes a pain you carry every day.

To say we miss Liam, words cannot express how much. All I hope for Liam and the 47 others that died [is] knowing their families have got justice finally.

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