Sister of the late Joe Drennan 'very proud' following Limerick Voice launch
The Joe Drennan Memorial Competition was launched at UL on Thursday
THE SISTER of the late Joe Drennan, the editor-in-chief of the Limerick Voice, has said her family are “all very proud” following the newspaper’s launch.
Speaking at the University of Limerick on Thursday, Sarah Drennan said it was a "bittersweet day" for the family.
The Limerick Voice newspaper is produced by journalism students in UL and was published with the Limerick Leader this week.
The University of Limerick’s Department of Journalism also officially launched a competition in memory of Joe, a final-year journalism student, who was killed in a hit-and-run incident in Limerick on October 13, last year.
The Joe Drennan Memorial Competition for Inclusive Journalism, held in association with The Irish Times, aims to recognise journalism that enhances understanding of marginalised communities.
Among the stories featured is an interview with Joe’s mother Marguerite and his sister Sarah who spoke about how their family is trying to cope since his tragic death.
A native of Laois, Joe was appointed editor-in-chief of Limerick Voice just a few weeks before his passing.
“The Joe Drennan Memorial Competition was designed to honour his pioneering spirit and the impact he made during his time in UL,” said Dr Kathryn Hayes, associate professor, BA Journalism and Digital Communication.
The winning article will be published in The Irish Times.
Limerick Voice managing editor Molly Cantwell paid tribute to her former colleague.
“Our team has had an incredibly tough year dealing with the loss of our editor-in-chief, Joe but I hope we have done him proud".
The Limerick Voice also features an interview with a Palestinian man, working in Limerick, who is trying to help his family in Gaza, as well as investigative news, community and culture sections, music, arts and sports stories.