'A wonderful tribute,' mother of Laois student delighted as he is honoured in Limerick

A  journalism competition has been launched in association with the Irish Times in honour of Laois student Joe Drennan.

The Department of Journalism in University of Limerick (UL) established the competition in memory of Joe Drennan, 21, a final year journalism student who was killed in a hit and run incident in Limerick on October 13, 2023.

The Joe Drennan Memorial Competition for Inclusive Journalism in association with The Irish Times, aims to recognise journalism that enhances understanding of marginalised communities.

Details of the competition were unveiled at the launch of Limerick Voice Newspaper, an award winning multimedia news project produced by journalism students in UL and published with The Limerick Leader.

Among the stories featured in the 48-page newspaper is an interview with Joe Drennan’s mother Marguerite and his sister Sarah who spoke about how their family is trying to cope since his tragic death.

A native of Knocknagad, Camross, Joe Drennan was appointed editor in chief of Limerick Voice just a few weeks before his tragic death.  

Joe’s mother Marguerite said the Drennan family are extremely proud to know her son will continue to provide inspiration to others.

“We are so grateful to University Limerick for honouring Joe in this way. The writing competition is a wonderful tribute to his memory, he would have been so thrilled. We are so very proud of Joe and what he accomplished in his life; he loved writing and UL. It makes us so proud to know that he will continue to be an inspiration for others.

“It’s an excellent competition, one he would have been so eager to compete in himself. It’s a fitting way to remember his passion for journalism and especially the inclusivity that he felt was so often forgotten. He would be so proud to be associated with this competition,” said Marguerite. 

Associate Professor, BA Journalism and Digital Communication, Dr Katheryn Hayes explained that the Joe Drennan Memorial Competition for Inclusive Journalism was designed to honour his pioneering spirit and the impact he made during his time in UL.

“Joe was committed to pursuing stories that would foster a deeper understanding of marginalised communities, whom he believed were often overlooked in some mainstream media.  His desire for change is evident in the journalism work he produced and the vision he had for his role as Editor in Chief of Limerick Voice digital news project in University of Limerick.

“His pitch for the role of editor, just a few weeks before his tragic death, epitomised his wider vision to effect change through his journalism work. As Editor in chief he urged reporters to ‘find a voice that they themselves had not heard before’. We believe this competition will help contribute to a more inclusive and diverse media landscape and is a fitting tribute to Joe.”

Limerick Voice Managing Editor Molly Cantwell paid tribute to her former colleague and the vision he had for this year’s newspaper.

“Our team has had an incredibly tough year dealing with the loss of our editor-in-chief, Joe Drennan. However, as his co-editor and managing editor of Limerick Voice, I really believe we have done him proud. The LV team of 2023/2024 have put together one of the biggest issues of the paper to date, full of articles which perfectly match the mission statement chosen by myself and Joe Drennan: ‘Stories That Speak’”

“We have done our utmost to ensure the vision Joe had for the paper was followed and that we worked with as much passion as we know he would have. I’m incredibly proud of the work we are putting forward to the people of Limerick and genuinely hope everyone enjoys reading each and every line,” added Molly Cantwell.

Ireland and Britain Editor of The Irish Times Mark Hennessy spoke at the launch of the competition. 

"As journalists, it's not only our duty to report the news, but to illuminate the stories often overlooked, amplify the voices of the marginalised and strive for a more inclusive narrative. The Joe Drennan Memorial Competition serves not only as a tribute to the life of a young journalist whose passion for social justice was cut short, but also as a beacon for more inclusive journalism.

“This competition will honour Joe Drennan's spirit of curiosity and empathy and I’m sure the entries will challenge stereotypes, and foster a deeper understanding towards marginalised communities, ensuring that their voices will be heard in The Irish Times,” Mr Hennessy said. 

The winner of the competition will also receive a perpetual trophy presented by members of the Drennan family.

The winning article will be published in The Irish Times. Entrants will be required to produce a 1,000 – 1500-word article, suitable for multimedia use. Winners will be selected on the basis of impact, originality, news gathering and research, depth of investigations, and quality of writing. 

The competition will run annually commencing in Academic Year 2024/25. The deadline for submissions is November 30, 2024.