Fri. Feb 7th, 2025

“Disgusting Sentence”: Family of Joe Drennan Condemn Six-Year Jail Term for Hit-and-Run Driver

Marguerite and Tim Drennan holding a photograph of their late son Joe, which Tim has carried in his pocket to every court hearing; picture by Kathryn Hayes

Fogarty Was Driving While Disqualified and on Bail at the Time of Fatal Hit-and-Run

The family of Joe Drennan, the talented young UL Journalism student, killed in a hit-and-run incident, have expressed their outrage at the six-and-a-half-year sentence handed down to the man responsible for his death.
Kieran Fogarty (21) of Hyde Avenue, Ballinacurra, Limerick was also jailed for 8 years for a firearms offence, which Judge Colin Daly ordered be served at the same time as the six-year term. Both sentences were backdated to October 24 2023.

Limerick Circuit Court heard how Fogarty was on bail and disqualified from driving, when he was involved in the fatal hit and run, which claimed the life of Joe Drennan, on the Dublin Road, Castletroy in October of 2023. A native of Co Laois and former editor Editor and Chief of Limerick Voice at the University of Limerick, Joe Drennan had turned 21 two weeks before his tragic death.

Reacting to the sentence in court Joe Drennan’s father Tim Drennan spoke out and asked Judge Colin Daly if this means Fogarty would never serve a day for killing his son?

Mr. Drennan was accompanied in court by his wife Marguerite and their daughters Eva, Sarah, and Marie, and a number of other relatives who were visibly distraught after the sentencing hearing.

Speaking outside afterwards and carrying a photograph of Joe, which he has brought to every court hearing Tim Drennan said: “He (Fogarty) got eight years for shooting into a wall and he got six and a half years for Joe, all to be served concurrently. He’s going to be serving the one for shooting into the wall all the time. He’s not going to be serving anything for Joe.”

Speaking about her son Marguerite Drennan said: “Joe was amazing, he was the bubble of our lives he was just everything to us, everything. He was the chief editor of Limerick Voice he was working for Gay Community News. He was the voice for the voiceless.”

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Daly recalled how Fogarty who was driving at 122km an hour when he struck Joe Drennan, took  “forensic measures” to protect himself before fleeing the scene while the 21-year-old student was pinned under the car.  

Speaking about the manner in which his son died Joe’s father said: “That man got nothing today for doing what he did to Joe. He gave him no help after he crashed into him and left him lying under the car. He basically died like a dog on the street in Limerick on his own and that lad left him there.”

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Daly referred to the stark contrast between Joe Drennan and Kieran Fogarty whom he said at 19 was already “embroiled in a life of crime”.

In contrast, he said Joe Drennan had so much to offer the world and was a “great student and a budding journalist” already involved in work that was making a positive impact.

Fogarty, who pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Joe Drennan, also received a number of other concurrent jail sentences for drug offences including possession of 14,000 Euro worth of cocaine.

Speaking outside the court Sarah Drennan, Joe’s sister, said her reaction was of shock and disgust and questioned how Fogarty could receive only six and a half years for the death of her brother but eight for the discharge of a firearm towards a wall.

Ms Drennan who had delivered a powerful victim impact statement at the last hearing said she was shocked and disgusted at the concurrent jail term. “There’s no words to describe how I feel… Joe didn’t deserve this he was just finishing his day of work waiting for a bus home then his life is taken by a known criminal who shouldn’t have been free to harm him.

Our suffering will never end. My brother didn’t deserve to die. This sentence is disgusting.”

The Drennan family said they hope the Director of Public Prosecutions will appeal the sentence.