ON VALENTINE’S Day, 1981, 48 people lost their lives in the fire at the Stardust nightclub in Artane, Dublin – a night that Stardust survivor Gerry Murphy, from Enniskillen, says will stay with him forever.

Now, just a shade past the 40-year anniversary of the tragic blaze, he reflects on the tragedy that so easily could have taken his life, calling himself “lucky”.

“Basically, I went for a night out, myself and another lad from the town, Michael Sheridan. We were two 20-year-olds out for a night out in Dublin, having a good night. And then the fire started,” he told The Impartial Reporter.

“It started up in a corner, and a few of the security staff went to try and extinguish it, and it just took hold really fast. The next thing, the lights went out, smoke came down, and everyone rushed to get out then.”

Gerry explained that he and Michael were “basically lucky” that they held on to the person in front of them and got to an exit.

“We were just hoping that we were going to get out,” he said, talking about the thoughts that went through his head at the time.

Fortunately, Gerry and Michael got out safely, and didn’t experience any injuries or smoke inhalation.

“I was coughing and spluttering a bit when I got out, but that soon cleared up,” said Gerry.

When he got outside, he witnessed the work of the fire service as they attempted to rescue those who were still inside the venue.

“We were around for a while, watching the fire service working. There were steel plates over the windows in the toilets; people were trying to get them off.

“They were using pickaxes and spades – anything they could get their hands on – but they couldn’t get them off,” he said, recalling the horror of the tragedy.

From surviving the horrific incident, which also injured more than 200 people alongside the dozens of deaths, Gerry developed a new outlook on life.

“I appreciated life a lot more after it. I live for today,” he said, adding: “On this Valentine’s Day I got to thinking, in the 40 years that I’ve moved on, I’ve been married for 34, I have four great kids, and I have a granddaughter, and I’m thinking of all the kids that didn’t make it.

“All the kids that never had the chance to have them things.

“[My] thoughts and prayers are with the families of the kids who lost their lives, and the over 200 who were injured.”

Gerry went on to have a long career in the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, retiring after 30 years of service.

When asked if surviving the Stardust fire influenced this career choice, he responded: “Subconsciously, it probably did. It’s one of them incidents that you put to the back of your head, and you don’t think about it.

“Every so often, there comes an anniversary or something that brings it all back.”