Sleep tight our beautiful classmate, friend, and Editor-in-Chief, Joe Drennan.
On Friday, October 13, a precious light went out in the Limerick Voice team.
Our dear friend and fearless leader was the victim of a senseless tragedy and a piece of all of our hearts passed away with him.
There are no words to describe the incredible loss we’re feeling as a class and as a group of young journalists. You never expect something like this to land on your doorstep, to read an article that’s about the loss of your dear friend, or to be lost for words when it’s words that brought us all together.
Joe was a force to be reckoned with. His passion, talent, charisma, and absolute grá for his work was so evident in absolutely everything he did. He was so passionate about his work with Gay Community News and so determined to build a powerful future for himself. We knew there was no question he would be the one walking into a much sought after job at the end of our degree.
A compliment from Joe on your work meant more than any kind of grade or editors comment. He had a gift, not just in terms of his work ethic, but in how he’d make you feel.
Joe’s little mannerisms and sayings have been talked about many many times over the past few days and will continue to be by our class. I, for one, have no doubt I’ll recount the way he fixed his fringe or held his famous Marc Jacobs bag to anyone who’ll listen, forever.
Joe’s vision for the Limerick Voice was so powerful and will remain so potent in all of our hearts as we try to honour him.
As his co-editor, I’m at a complete loss at how to move forward and do any of this without him, I don’t know what to do with myself. We’d become so close we worked like a well-oiled machine. I can hear his voice in my head telling me to make sure to get up some news stories this week or sending me voice notes with story ideas. We were on a mission with LV and so much more – and now I’m on a mission to continue his incredible work and legacy. I feel like I’ve lost a part of myself with you, Joe. Everything I write and everything I do from now on will always be for you.
As we come to some sort of terms with our grief, we’ll continue to fight the good fight for every underrepresented voice as Joe would have wanted. We’ll follow in his exceptionally talented (and stylish) footsteps, bringing his mission for the Limerick Voice to the people of Limerick and upholding his determination to give a voice to the voiceless.
While we already know that none of us will ever be the same, we’re determined to remember him in absolutely everything we do.
Sleep tight Joe – we’ll love you and miss you forever.