'You got this, love': Joe Drennan lost his beautiful life in Ireland's endless road carnage

MOLLY CANTWELL writes of her grief and anger at the death of Joe Drennan, and her heartbreak for all families bereaved by road fatalities, more of which are likely to occur this weekend

UL student and ‘Limerick Voice’ editor Joe Drennan who died after he was struck by a car in a hit-and-run incident on October 13. Pictures courtesy of Molly Cantwell

On Friday, October 13, our dear friend and Limerick Voice editor was the victim of a senseless tragedy.

Joe Drennan was struck and killed in a hit-and-run while standing at a bus stop after his shift in La Cucina, a local café/restaurant.

Hailing from the small town of Knocknagad in Co Laois, Joe was the youngest of seven. His parents, Marguerite and Tim, adored him, as did his sisters Marie, Ava, and Sarah, and brothers Richard, John, and Ciaran.

Driving through the winding roads of Mountrath to meet his heartbroken family for the first time, it was a revelation to see where Joe came from. As his aunt Julie said in the eulogy, Joe was never one for the rural farming community he grew up in.

His mother, Mags, told our lecturer, Kathryn Hayes, a hilarious story about a young Joe out and about on his family’s farm, when he begged not to be bequeathed the farm whenever the time came.

Joe Drennan, second from right, celebrating with Gay Community News colleagues at the Galas Awards in the Mansion House on October 7 in Dublin. Less than a week later, Joe was dead after a hit-and-run. Picture courtesy of Molly Cantwell

He was a force to be reckoned with from a very young age. His entrepreneurial ventures started with selling Christmas wreaths from the back of his father’s van, to setting up his own tuck shop in school. So successful was his little enterprise that he had to acquire a second locker just for his stock — all bought with his mammy’s vouchers.

The minute Joe met Limerick he really blossomed. After his first year in University of Limerick (UL), his family said it was like he was two feet taller — partly due to his platform shoes, but mostly because he found his calling. He would be a voice for those who needed it.

Joe was a tower for others to lean on, so confident and sure of himself he spent his time building people up: “You got this, love.”

Joe Drennan with Molly Cantwell, who writes: 'Joe was so unique and so incredibly special. His life was cut short — but what a life.' 

He was so passionate about his work with Gay Community News (GCN) and so determined to build a powerful future for himself.

There was no question that he would be the one walking into a much sought-after job at the end of our degree. His work with GCN brought along a whole new cohort of friends and colleagues who respected and admired Joe just as much as all of us in UL. In their words, “it is unbearable”.

The beautiful tribute written by GCN for Joe put it perfectly: “You could say his voice being silenced is a loss to the writing community, the queer community, his hometown, but none of those would say enough. It is the world’s loss.”

Molly Cantwell writes: 'Joe was a tower for others to lean on, so confident and sure of himself he spent his time building people up: “You got this, love.”'

His friends and colleagues from La Cucina, Dough Bros, The Buttery, and more also have to carry this unbearable heartache, and deal with the fact they won’t be seeing the friendly face they had come to love so much.

If Joe blossomed in Limerick, he became whole in Berlin. Berlin opened his eyes to so much, he had so many adventures and made so many wonderfully supportive friends. And it was there he found real joy and love. Joe’s wonderful partner, Santiago, brought out the best in him, inspiring him to be a better writer and showing him what true love was.

Joe was so unique and so incredibly special. His life was cut short — but what a life.

He had wonderful friends, and a family who adored him, and he knew real love. Not everyone gets that.

'The minute Joe met Limerick he really blossomed. After his first year in UL, his family said it was like he was two feet taller — partly due to his platform shoes, but mostly because he found his calling. He would be a voice for those who needed it.' Picture courtesy of Molly Cantwell

His vision for Limerick Voice was so powerful and will remain so potent in all of our hearts as we try to honour him.

While we mourn Joe, we also think of the four other people who were killed on Irish roads on the same weekend as him.

Their families and friends are going through the worst time of their lives now.

Joe was one of 37 pedestrians to die in road accidents this year. This is the highest number of pedestrian deaths on Irish roads in 15 years. In total, 155 people have lost their lives on Irish roads this year.

Initial reports of deaths on Irish roads including the first report of the deaths of Joe Drennan and another person a fortnight ago do not name the deceased. But every one of them will bring profound pain for the victims' families and friends. 

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of people whose lives have been torn to pieces with grief for their loved one, taken in the most senseless of ways on Irish roads.

I’m so incredibly angry for Joe, for the stories he won’t write, the family that don’t have their beautiful boy, and the friendship ripped out of our hands. And there are so many more across Ireland left feeling this way.

As we face into another bank holiday weekend, it is heartbreaking to think that even more families, friends, and loved ones will be left counting the cost of the continuing carnage on Irish roads. They just don’t know it yet.

• Molly Cantwell is co-editor of the Limerick Voice newspaper in University of Limerick.

Joe Drennan.