'You have lived a nightmare': Limerick coroner tells family at inquest of Joe Drennan

THE DRENNAN family have “lived a nightmare” since their beloved son and brother Joe died from “catastrophic injuries”, his inquest has heard.

UL journalism student Joe Drennan (pictured below), aged 21, of Knocknagad, Mountrath, County Laois was killed in a hit-and-run collision in Castletroy, Limerick city on October 13, 2023 while waiting at a bus stop. 

Kieran Fogarty, aged 21, of Hyde Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston, Limerick city, killed Joe Drennan while he was on bail, was disqualified from driving for other driving offences, and subject to five outstanding arrest warrants.

Limerick coroner John McNamara told the Drennan family at the beginning of the inquest in Kilmallock Court that it was a harrowing place for them to be and he didn’t want to retraumatise them over the tragic death of Joe.

Joe’s parents Tim and Marguerite, siblings Sarah and Richard, and aunt Lisa Bennett were in attendance. Sarah held a framed photo of Joe.

Sergeant David Delahunty, on behalf of the State, called Garda JP O’Sullivan to give a summary of the comprehensive garda investigation. Inspector Padraigh Sutton, senior investigating officer, was also present at the inquest.

Garda O’Sullivan said Fogarty drove through a red light at the Golf Links Road junction, Castletroy at 122km/h in a 60km zone.

“He crashed into a stationary car, lost control, mounted a footpath and crashed into a wall.  Joe Drennan was waiting at a bus stop for his bus to go home after finishing a shift in a restaurant. He received catastrophic injuries as a result of the offending BMW crashing into him. Kieran Fogarty was the driver of this BMW.

"He subsequently fled the scene, leaving Joe Drennan underneath the BMW,” said Garda O’Sullivan, who added that Fogarty was later charged and convicted of dangerous driving causing death, hit-and-run offences, criminal damage and dangerous driving.

The Drennan family was represented at the inquest by Luke O’Higgins BL, instructed by Declane Gilheeny of Ferrys Solicitors.

Mr O’Higgins put it to the garda that after Fogarty went through the red light at over twice the speed limit, he struck a car causing his BMW to turn 180 degrees, become airborne and careered down the road backwards.

“Fogarty brought about this situation in that he lost complete control of the car on the basis of his own actions and his own decisions of driving in such a reckless manner. There would have been no possible way for him to maintain control of  the vehicle when he was driving in such a manner,” said Mr O’Higgins.

“That is correct,” said Garda O’Sullivan. 

Mr McNamara, the Limerick coroner, then read out the conclusion of the post mortem report which was carried out by Chief State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan.

“It is my opinion that death in this case occurred because of multiple traumatic injuries, including severe head injuries as a result of a pedestrian involved in a road traffic collision,” read out Mr McNamara, who apologised to the family for having to read it out.

Mr O’Higgins made a submission to Mr McNamara that his verdict should be that Joe was unlawfully killed.

“There are situations where accidents occur, this is not an accident. This is not one of those situations. Fogarty was driving twice the speed limit, had broken a red light, was in a well-lit area on a well-conditioned road in a well-conditioned car driving  on the wrong side of the road. 

“He acted incredibly recklessly and brought about the utterly needless death of Joe Drennan. The evidence we’ve heard today points in only one direction and that is Joe Drennan was unlawfully killed,” said Mr O’Higgins.

Mr McNamara said he had read the entirety of the garda file and evidence and is aware of the criminal prosecution. 

Fogarty was jailed for eight years in January for shooting at a house in April 2023. The sentencing judge, Colin Daly, imposed a six-and-a-half-year concurrent sentence for dangerous driving causing the death of Joe.

The Drennan family said they were “disgusted” by this as it would mean Fogarty (pictured below) would not serve any jail time for killing Joe.

They started a campaign calling on the DPP to appeal the sentence on the grounds it was too lenient. The appeal was subsequently lodged by the DPP.

The coroner said they couldn’t hold the inquest without the criminal prosecution having been dealt with and they are not affecting the outcome of the leniency hearing (the appeal by the DPP to the sentence imposed on Fogarty) by dealing with the inquest.

In terms of the verdict, Mr McNamara said it is clearly not an accidental death and recorded a verdict of unlawful killing.

“It has to be on the standard of beyond a reasonable doubt which is the criminal standard. Clearly that's been satisfied in the sense that it's been before the criminal courts and a guilty plea,” said Mr McNamara

Speaking to the Drennan family, Mr McNamara said "obviously you’ve lived a nightmare since Joe died".

“It's every parent's worst nightmare what you've endured. Joe was obviously a young man with his whole life ahead of him and minding his own business when this tragedy occurred. I’m very sorry for your loss and I offer you my sincerest condolences on Joe’s passing,” said Mr McNamara.

Sergeant David Delahunty, on behalf of An Garda Siochana, said: “I would like to extend our sincere sympathies to the Drennan family on Joe’s  death. May he  rest in peace.”  

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The Drennan family said after the inquest that they welcomed the verdict of unlawful killing by the coroner.

The family released a statement to Limerick Live, saying they had to sit through the painful details of how Joe was killed. 

“We listened to the horrific and brutal reality of his final moments. Joe did not deserve any of this, he should still be here. No family should have to listen to this,” reads the statement.

The Drennan family said they are grateful that the DPP has decided to appeal this decision but “nothing can change the fact that the justice system failed us countless times and worst of all, failed Joe”. 

“Joe deserved better. We launched a petition on change.org calling for urgent sentencing reform and are calling on the Irish government to ensure that no other victim or their family suffers this injustice. Joe’s life mattered, and the law needs to reflect that,” concludes the statement.

The Drennan family wished to thank Inspector Padraigh Sutton, Garda Oliver Gee, Garda Patrick Gleeson, Garda JP O’Sullivan and all the gardai in Henry Street involved in the investigation.

They thanked Limerick coroner John McNamara for his sensitivity and how he dealt with the inquest and the family, and Ferrys Solicitors. The Drennans wished to thank Limerick Fire and Rescue Service and paramedics who responded to the scene of the collision and staff in University Hospital Limerick.