A VICTIM of the Stardust nightclub fire in Dublin had moved from west Belfast to get away from the Troubles, his sister has told the inquest into the disaster.
James Millar, who was from the Twinbrook area, was among 48 people to die in the blaze at the Dublin venue in February 1981.
The 21-year-old had settled in Dublin after a period spent with the Merchant Navy, and his sister told the inquest on Tuesday of how their father was left haunted by his son's loss in the fire.
Laura Millar described her brother James was her best friend, and told the hearing in Dublin her father had encouraged James to move to the city to get away from the Troubles, but later blamed himself for his son's death.
Ms Millar said she and a friend had initially planned to join James at the dancing competition at the Stardust on the night of the fire, but did not go.
She described how following the blaze, James' fiance had told her family that he was not at the Stardust, as he had said to her he was not going.
However, they later learned he had attended, and was among the victims of the blaze.
He died along with his friend Bobby Hillock, who was also from Twinbrook.
James and his fiance had been planning to buy a house together, Ms Millar told the inquest.
She said that when her father learned of James' death "his cry could be heard all over the estate".
It was described how their younger brother Martin also felt guilt over James, as the last time they saw each other they had a "silly argument" in which 12-year-old Martin told his brother he wished he was dead.
"Martin was another one - as well as my dad - who blamed himself and up to his death last year, he never got over it," Ms Millar said, adding: "None of us got over it. You can’t.”
