Kathleen Muldoon (19), Kells, Co Meath: ‘She loved looking after and caring for people’

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 bereaved family members. Find all of the portraits and more coverage here

Kathleen was the eldest of 10 children. She was a very mature girl and was very helpful to her family. Kathleen helped with many household chores. She also was very good-natured, thoughtful and helpful at all times. She got on very well with her parents and was very helpful with all of her brothers and sisters.

Kathleen got on well with all her schoolfriends and went on social nights out. She loved football and music. She also played basketball with her local school. She always wanted to do nursing, which is why she landed up in the city of Dublin.

My last memory of Kathleen is of us coming home from Confession in Ballinlough with my Dad. At the time, Kathleen was after getting her own little car.

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We heard about the Stardust from the guards in Kells. On that Saturday morning, the guards came to the family home. They were very helpful and supportive. Kathleen’s car was in a car park in Coolock and she could not be found.

My mother had gone to the local village to do shopping and heard about a terrible fire that happened in Dublin, not realising at the time that her daughter was in there. Kathleen’s remains were confirmed by her uncle a few days later.

Kathleen’s funeral Mass was in Ballinlough church. I served at the Mass with my brother and one of my brothers sang in the choir. Like that, it was very big and it was a day we’ll never forget.

We received a lot of support from our extended family, friends and neighbours. A lot of people called to our family home in the months after. We returned to school two weeks later.

Life very much changed for everyone in our house that day. Going to a disco or a social event was difficult, or going anywhere indoors was a nerve-racking experience for our parents, who would be waiting for you to come home in anticipation. We never told our parents about a disco. We were going to a dance. “Don’t mention d-i-s-c-o.”

Some members of the family are more comfortable speaking about it than others.

The conversation is tougher for some than others and younger members of our family find it hard to remember. In our family, Kathleen is never forgotten. Kathleen is remembered on her birthday, on Christmas, on her anniversary.

Kathleen would have pursued her career in nursing, got married I’d say, had her own family. She loved looking after and caring for people. After the passing of Kathleen, you wouldn’t push it. There was enough going on in our parents’ heads after losing their eldest child.

All we’re asking is the truth comes out. It’s a long time to have to wait but hopefully this inquiry will bring it out and people will be able to let the deceased rest and let the families rest. I’d like to thank everyone for listening. Thank you.