We will do our tragic Stardust relatives proud

Families’ vow as inquest opens into 48 deaths in Valentine's nightclub horror

- SEAN MURPHY

FAMILIES of the 48 Stardust fire victims have vowed to "do them proud" and "give them back their identities" as the inquest opens today.

Michael Barrett, 17, was the last to be identified after the St Valentine's disco in Dublin and his story will be the first to be told at the inquest.

His mother Gertrude Barrett told the Irish Mirror: "The inquest begins with pen portraits [of the victims] and I'm doing the first reading.

"Michael was the last to be identified but the pen portraits are going in alphabetical order, so Michael is first.

"We are all apprehensive. It has taken a long time to reach this stage. We have been on a mission for the last 42 years.

"It is an absolute shame that it has taken this long. I will be very emotional.

"It's going to bring me back to those days of waiting in the morgue for him. But I am going to do him proud, we all are.

"We're going to give them back their identities.