By Caitríona Ní Chonaill
Tributes have been paid to Joe Drennan, who was the victim of a fatal hit-and-run on Friday 13th of October and who is being laid to rest today. Mr. Drennan was hit by a car as he was waiting for a bus in Castletroy, Co. Limerick, having finished a shift at a local restaurant, when he was killed by a car which had collided with another vehicle. Gardaí are continuing to search for the driver of the car.
Mr Drennan, aged 2, of Mountrath, Co Laois, has been hailed as a “popular, much-loved member of our student body here in UL,” by Dr Kathryn Hayes, the course director of the BA in Journalism and New Media programme at University College Limerick. She said Mr Drennan was an “incredible leader” and “great colleague”.
“His journalism colleagues are absolutely devastated. I have been meeting with the over the weekend, many of them have been gathering together in Limerick.They’re a very tight-knit group, they’re in their final year and they work on a number of projects together.”
A talented fourth year journalism student, Mr. Drennan had this year been shortlisted for Journalist Of The Year at the annual National Student Media Awards and was recently appointed Editor-In-Chief of the Limerick Voice newspaper. He was also a writer and lead contributor for Gay Community News, with his interview with the GALAS Person of the Year was to be his first cover story in the upcoming issue, and more pieces written by him throughout the magazine. He became a part of the team through the New Voices initiative with GCN and since wrote many a story on activism and LGBTQ+ rights. He was a talented writer with a great future ahead of him and is a huge loss to the world of student journalism. Ar dheis de go raibh a anam.