A MAN HAS been arrested following a hit and run incident in Limerick that left student journalist Joe Drennan dead. 

The collision, which involved two cars, occurred on 13 October this year and left the community in shock and mourning at the death of the “inspirational” 21-year-old student. 

Joe Drennan, (21), of Knocknagad, Mountrath, Co Laois, was standing at a bus stop on the Dublin Road, Castletroy, Limerick, when a car that had just been involved in a collision with another car, as well as an alleged interaction with Gardaí earlier that night, struck and killed him.

The driver of the second car, a man in his 40s, and a female adult passenger were taken to University hospital Limerick for treatment of their injuries.  

Gardaí had appealed for witnesses to come forward at the time because one of the drivers involved in the crash fled the scene. Today, gardaí arrested a man in his late teens in connection with the incident.

“Gardaí have today arrested a man in relation to the fatal road traffic collision on the Dublin Road in Castletroy, Co. Limerick, which resulted in the death of a man in his 20s,” a garda spokesperson said in a statement. 

The man is now being detained under Section 42 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1999, at a Garda Station in Limerick City. Investigations are ongoing, gardaí said. 

At the time of his death, Joe Drennan’s family, classmates and tutors paid tribute to the promising young journalist. 

Dr Kathryn Hayes, Course Director, BA Journalism and Digital Communication, University of Limerick said Joe had been “an inspirational student and a hugely talented young journalist, who had a bright career ahead”.

“He was passionate and creative and will be sorely missed by all of us who had the pleasure of knowing and working with him,” she added.

The car that struck Joe Drennan was allegedly involved in an interaction with a Garda unit prior to the collision on the night, and therefore, while Gardaí were continuing their own investigation, they also referred the circumstances surrounding the fatal collision to the office of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC), as is required by statute when gardaí have interacted with persons involved in an incident in which there has been loss of life.