'Absolute insult to all that love Joe': Calls for justice following 'lenient' sentencing of Joe Drennan's killer

The campaign #JusticeForJoe comes after the Drennan family’s outrage regarding the sentence imposed on gangland criminal Kieran Fogarty, who hit Joe Drennan with a car while driving dangerously

The late Joe Drennan

Students from the University of Limerick and friends of Joe Drennan have called for justice following the "lenient" sentencing of gangland criminal Kieran Fogarty for his death. 

The campaign #JusticeForJoe comes after the Drennan family’s outrage regarding the sentence imposed on Fogarty, who hit Joe Drennan with a car while driving dangerously.

Fogarty was already jailed for eight years for firing an illegal automatic firearm at the front of a house where children played in Limerick city in April 2023. It was while on bail for this offence six months later that he killed Joe Drennan, aged 21, a journalism student who was waiting at the bus stop after his shift in a restaurant.

Last week, Fogarty pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and was sentenced to six-and-a-half years. However, the sentence will run concurrently to the eight years he was already serving for the firearms offence, meaning he will serve no additional time for the death of Joe Drennan.

After the verdict, Joe’s family expressed their anger and disappointment.

Joe’s father, 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. 

To show their support to the Drennan family, student-led newspaper, Limerick Voice, have set up a campaign to demand justice for Joe as the family has called for an appeal of the sentence imposed on Fogarty.

Journalist and former UL student Ellie McCarthy described how she lost her best friend when Joe was killed.  She will be speaking at the vigil on Thursday.

“At 24 years old, how are you meant to live without one of your best friends by your side? It’s been one year and nearly four months since Joe died and I am still trying to figure it out,” she told the Irish Examiner.

Ellie called the sentencing of Kieran Fogarty “an absolute insult to all that love Joe”.

“Living without him is something none of us will ever recover from, he was a bright light who lit up all in his life. I still can’t believe he is gone.

“The colour drained from our lives when he was cruelly taken from us. Kieran Fogarty not only ruined Joey’s life, he ruined all of ours.

“To put it simply, life is empty without him. No matter what happiness comes my way, nothing will ever fill that gap that now lives in my heart. In all of our hearts.

Ellie McCarthy (left) and Joe Drennan (right). Ellie called the sentencing of Kieran Fogarty 'an absolute insult to all that love Joe'.

"People say grief gets easier in time, that is yet to prove itself to any of us. Especially because of the extremely lenient sentence that his killer received,” she said.

The demonstration will take place this Thursday, February 6, at 1.30pm on UL’s Main Plaza.

Speaking about the Justice for Joe campaign, this year’s Limerick Voice managing editor, Jack McKay, stated: “We want to show our solidarity with the Drennan family and help and raise awareness for their campaign for justice.

“Joe was a journalist with a keen sense of justice and saw journalism as a conduit in raising awareness and campaigning for justice.”