Courts / Dublin / Report

Stardust manager denies lying to inquests

Summary

During the Stardust inquest, manager Eamon Butterly, 78, testified that if he had acted differently, he would never have converted the factory into a nightclub. He denied lying about the exit‑door policy, though he admitted his statements to the 1981 tribunal were contradictory to those given to the coroner's court. Butterly said the policy of draping chains over exit doors was initiated by head doorman Tom Kennan and that he could not claim full ownership. He maintained that the doors were open at the time of the fire, citing Kennan's confirmation, and that he had no role in post‑fire insurance claims. Butterly also explained that carpet tiles on the walls were approved by Dublin Corporation, and that he had consulted an expert, Harold Gardner, regarding their use. The inquest heard evidence that the tiles were Class 4, contributing to the fire's spread. The jury noted the conflicting accounts and the lack of a written policy.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Stardust manager denies lying to inquests. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• February 14, 1981 Other
• February 14 Other
• 2023-09-28 Publication

Why: Today Mr O'Higgins put it to Mr Butterly that the reason his accounts of events and conversations around the time with the now-deceased Mr Kennan along with others were "so vague and contradictory is because they are not founded on truth". CNI source report

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial

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Read the original CNI report