GARDAÍ this morning (Sunday October 15) were continuing to search for the driver of a car involved in a fatal hit and run that claimed the life of “inspirational” University of Limerick journalism student Joe Drennan on Friday night.
Mr Drennan (21), of Knocknagad, Mountrath, County Laois, was standing at a bus stop on the Dublin Road, Castletroy, when a car that had immediately beforehand been involved in a collision with another car, as well as an alleged interaction with Gardaí earlier on the night, struck and killed him.
It’s understood that Mr Drennan, who last April was shortlisted for Journalist of the Year at the annual national Student Media Awards, was waiting for a bus around 9.50pm, after he had finished a shift at a local restaurant.
Gardaí said the driver of one of the cars “failed to remain at the scene” and that the driver of the second car, a male in his 40s and a female adult passenger, were taken to University hospital Limerick for non-life-threatening injuries.
Mr Drennan’s death has left his family, friends, and fellow students and tutors at UL shocked and distraught.
Paying tribute to Mr Drennan this morning, Dr Kathryn Hayes, Course Director of the BA Journalism and Digital Communication at University of Limerick, said: “We are absolutely devastated in the journalism department and in the wider UL community to learn of the tragic death of our student Joe Drennan. Our heartfelt sympathies are with Joe’s family at this terrible time and all of his classmates and many dear friends.”
Ms Hayes said Mr Drennan had been “an inspirational student and a hugely talented young journalist, who had a bright career ahead”.
“He was passionate and creative and will be sorely missed by all of us who had the pleasure of knowing and working with him,” Ms Hayes added.
Appealing for witnesses, Gardaí asked that “any road users who were travelling in the area of Dublin Road, Castletroy, Limerick, on Friday 13th October, between 9pm and 10pm, and who may have camera footage (including dashcam)” to make the footage available to investigators at Henry Street Garda Station on 061 212 400, the Garda Confidential Hotline 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.
Local school teacher and Aontú representative Eric Nelligan tweeted: “My thoughts go out to the victim and family”.
Mr Nelligan said a helicopter was “drafted in to assist locate the occupants of one of the vehicles”.
Gardaí are understood to be probing whether there are any possible links between the fatal collision and a burnt out vehicle discovered in Corbally on Friday night.
When asked about this, a Garda spokeswoman replied: “Gardaí are investigating an incident of criminal damage by fire, of a car, which occurred at approximately 9.30pm on Friday 13th October 2023 at a location in Corbally, Limerick.”
“Enquiries are ongoing and no further information is available at this time,” she added.
The car that struck Mr Drennan was allegedly involved in an interaction with a Garda unit prior to the collision on the night, and therefore, while Gardaí are continuing their own investigation, they have also referred the circumstances surrounding the fatal collision to the office of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC), as is required by statute when Gardai have interacted with persons involved in an incident in which there has been loss of life.
A GSOC spokeswoman said it “received a referral from An Garda Síochána during the early hours of Saturday, 14 October, following a road traffic incident in the Annacotty area … the referral was made by a Garda Superintendent under section 102(1) of the Garda Síochána Act, 2005”.
“The matter is now under examination by GSOC and no further comment will be made at this time,” added the GSOC spokeswoman.