PICTURES: Protest for late Joe Drennan takes to Limerick city streets

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PICTURES: Caleb Purcell and Gary Griffin

"ENOUGH is enough - we demand justice for Joe Drennan and for the DPP to appeal the horrendous concurrent sentence his killer received."

That was what an organiser and friend of the late Joe Drennan said following a demonstration that took to Limerick city streets on Saturday in Joe's name.

The 21-year-old tragically passed away following a hit-and-run incident on October 13, 2023.

His killer Kieran Fogarty was on bail and prohibited from driving on the night of the fatal incident. On Thursday, January 30, Fogarty was sentenced to a total of eight years in prison for separate firearms and drugs charges. 

He was sentenced to six-and-a-half years for the charges relating to Joe’s death, with all sentences to run concurrently. 

The Drennan family, Joe's friends, colleagues and wider community are now campaigning to get the 'lenient' sentence of Fogarty appealed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), entitled #JusticeForJoe.

Part of this campaign saw a protest on February 8 where crowds gathered and marched the streets of Limerick city with signs and speakers.

READ ALSO: 'Justice must prevail': Vigil held in memory of Joe Drennan at the University of Limerick

"This sentencing is not right and is not justice," said one of Joe's best friends Molly Cantwell, organiser of the demonstration.

"We hope that a collective show of solidarity with the Drennan family will urge the DPP to bring an appeal against Judge Daly’s sentencing. 

"This sentence is a slap in the face to Joe’s family, friends, classmates, and coworkers, who have spent over a year facing immense grief and trying to figure out how we go on without Joe. 

"Joe supported the voices of those without a voice through his writing and was on track for a life full of compassion, uplifting under-represented communities, and using his voice for the better – we must do this for him."

Joe was starting the fourth year of his degree in the University of Limerick (UL) and had just been appointed Editor in Chief of Limerick Voice, UL’s final year newspaper project. 

Fogarty fled the scene after hitting Joe, but not before wiping down the car, in an attempt to remove his DNA from the scene. 

He evaded the Gardaí, only admitting his guilt after insurmountable evidence was presented to him. 

The Drennan family are also asking for people to sign and share their petition to help reform consecutive sentencing laws in Ireland.