The University of Limerick and The Irish Times have announced the establishment of a new journalism prize in honour of Joe Drennan, a student who was killed in a hit-and-run incident in October 2023.

Drennan, who hailed from Mountrath, County Laois, was a fourth-year journalism student at the University of Limerick and had recently been appointed Editor of the student newspaper Limerick Voice. He also worked as a contributor to GCN.

The award is titled Unheard Voices: the Joe Drennan Memorial Prize, and its stated aim is to celebrate Drennan’s “legacy and inclusive storytelling”. While the prize is run by UL’s journalism department, it is open to all third-level students from across Ireland and is not restricted to those who study journalism.

Those interested are encouraged to write a 1,500-word article, complete with images and videos, and entries will be assessed on impact, originality, depth of investigation, quality of research and reporting, and standard of writing. The closing date for entries is May 31, and submissions can be sent to [email protected].

The winner will have their article published in The Irish Times and receive a trophy during their tenure as the winner.

The editor of The Irish Times, Ruadhán Mac Cormaic, said the journalism competition is a “fitting way to memorialise a promising young journalist who was just starting out in our trade.”

“It will create an invaluable opportunity for an emerging reporter to do work of real depth on a subject that matters,” he added.

Dr Kathryn Hayes, Associate Professor in Journalism and Digital Communication at the University of Limerick, said Drennan’s passion was to “build a journalism career grounded in inclusivity and social justice.

“We are proud that this prize established by the journalism department in UL honours Joe’s legacy, particularly his dedication to journalism that speaks for often-unheard voices. Opening it up to students across Ireland ensures that Joe’s values will inspire a new generation of journalists nationally.”