The family of Joe Drennan, a hit-and-run victim, criticizes the lenient sentence given to Kieran Fogarty, the gangland criminal responsible for his death.
Limerick: Joe Drennan’s family is heartbroken after a hit-and-run incident. They feel the sentence given to Kieran Fogarty is unfair. Fogarty received a six-year sentence for dangerous driving, but it runs concurrently with an eight-year sentence for a gun charge. This means he will only serve eight years total.
Joe, a 21-year-old journalism student, was killed while waiting at a bus stop on October 13, 2023. His family feels like he was dismissed, saying, “It’s as though he didn’t exist at all.” Fogarty has a long criminal history and was on bail when he hit Joe.
After the incident, Fogarty tried to cover up his crime. He wiped his car clean and left Joe to die. Joe’s family, including his father Tim, mother Marguerite, and sister Sarah, are devastated. They want the Director of Public Prosecutions to appeal the sentence.
Sarah shared the painful moment she learned about Joe’s death. She had to call her parents, who were on vacation, to deliver the tragic news. Joe was a hardworking student with dreams of making a difference through journalism.
His family believes he deserved justice. They want Fogarty to serve a separate sentence for Joe’s death, not just for the gun charge. They feel the system failed them, allowing Fogarty to drive around despite his criminal record.
Tim expressed frustration, saying, “How does a lad drive around Limerick for six or seven months with multiple warrants out for him?” They want Joe’s life to be acknowledged and remembered, not overshadowed by Fogarty’s other crimes.
Joe’s family is not asking for a life sentence for Fogarty. They just want him to face consequences for taking Joe’s life. They believe the sentences should be separate to honor Joe’s memory.
Life has changed drastically for Joe’s family since his death. They struggle with the loss and want the public to remember Joe as a courageous and hardworking person who cared about justice.
For more on this story, listen to the Irish Mirror’s Shattered Lives Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
