Kathleen Muldoon (19), from Kells, had moved to Dublin to pursue her nursing career. She was into music, especially The Eagles, and enjoyed concerts and nights out with her friends.
Introduction
My name is Hugh Muldoon and my sister Kathleen Muldoon died in the Stardust Fire. Kathleen was the eldest of ten children.
Background
Kathleen was a very mature young girl and was very helpful to her family. Kathleen helped with many household chores. She was very good-natured, thoughtful and helpful at all times to her family. She got on very well with her parents and still acted as a teenager some days. Kathleen was very helpful with all of her younger brothers and sisters. She would help out with the cooking, cleaning and her siblings' homework; all while she was going to school herself and doing her own studies.
Kathleen got on well with all her school friends and went on social nights out. She loved football, basketball and music. She liked music from the band the Eagles and would go to concerts too.
Kathleen always wanted to do nursing, which is why she was living in Dublin.
My last memory of Kathleen is of us coming home from confession in Ballinlough with my dad. At the time, Kathleen had her own car.
Stardust Fire
We heard about the Stardust from the Guards in Kells. On that Saturday morning, the Guards came to the family home. The Guards in Kells were very helpful and supportive. My mother went to the local village and heard about a terrible fire that happened in Dublin, not realising at the time that her own daughter was in the fire. We had no house phone at the time. 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 our other brothers sang in the choir. It was a very big crowd on the day, a day we will never forget.
Since then
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 afterward. 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. Going anywhere indoors was a nerve-wrecking experience for our parents who would be waiting for you to come home in anticipation. Some members of the family are more comfortable speaking about Kathleen 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 remembered every day. Kathleen is remembered on her birthday, on Christmas, on her anniversary and at family events we miss her at. Kathleen would have pursued her career in nursing, got married and had her own family. Looking after and caring for people is something she loved. Kathleen was a go-to person in our family growing up, and very helpful to her mother and father.
Conclusion
We, as a family, want the truth to come out as to what happened and why this has taken so long.
