The National Party has cited “extreme pressures” on veteran Stardust survivors’ campaigner Antoinette Keegan, who has bowed out of standing for the party at the upcoming general election just days after announcing her candidacy.
Earlier this week, Ms Keegan confirmed her intention to contest the Dublin Fingal East constituency on behalf of the National Party, expressing a desire to highlight the struggle Stardust families endured in search of justice for the 48 victims killed in the 1981 fire.
However, in a statement released today through her solicitor, Darragh Mackin, Ms Keegan said that she no longer plans to run in the election.
In a statement issued in response to Ms Keegan’s announcement, the National Party said that it did “due diligence” in terms of informing Ms Keegan about the likely reaction to her standing on their behalf.
“From the National Party’s perspective we did our due diligence in terms of explaining the likely responses to her candidacy, particularly from politically aligned supporters of her Stardust campaigning work. Meanwhile, the National Party’s policies, platform and ideology are all publicly accessible and unambiguous. Ms Keegan suggested she understood all this,” the statement said.
“A week is a long time in politics. It is clearly the best outcome that she withdraws her candidacy at this early stage, before any further resources had been expended and a proper campaign had been mounted.
“It was predictable that such a high-profile candidacy would result in extreme pressures on the candidate. The National Party accepts and respects her decision to withdraw from the election campaign and we wish her the best for the future.”
In Ms Keegan’s statement, issued by her solicitor, Darragh Mackin of Phoenix Law, the campaigner said that her decision to run was “an error of judgement”.
“With the benefit of advice from my dear friend Darragh Mackin, I have realised that in hindsight, the principles I have long prided myself in are incompatible with the political party to which I had been nominated.
“I pride myself in being a daughter, sister, mother and grandmother who fearlessly speaks truth to power in seeking equality for the most vulnerable in society. I cannot put my name to a party whose views do not align with my own,” Ms Keegan said.
Ms Keegan’s sisters Mary, 19, and Martina, 16, died after a fire broke out at a Valentine’s Day event in 1981 at the Stardust nightclub in north Dublin.