The 18th edition of the Limerick Voice Newspaper, published each year by journalism students at the University of Limerick, has been published today.
The 32-page newspaper, with 10 pages of sports, news and features, is published and distributed along with the Limerick Leader newspaper.
It contains a series of news and sports articles researched and written by a team of 22 fourth year journalism students as one of the major projects of their final year in the BA in Journalism and Digital communications programme at UL.
This year's edition contains a series of articles on youth crime, the ongoing trolley crisis at University Hospital Limerick, addiction and recovery, the international rugby experience, the student housing crisis, teenagers dealing with acne, emigration and Limerick's drag scene.
A major part of the storytelling this year centred around the fight for justice for former journalism student Joe Drennan, who was tragically killed in a hit-and-run in Limerick in October 2023.
Journalism students this year have followed the story from the beginning up to the recent court appearance of 21-year-old Kieran Fogarty, who was handed a six year sentence for driving dangerously killing Mr Drennan. This is to run concurrent to another eight year sentence also imposed.
The journalism team has been prominent in supporting the family in a series of public campaigns to get this sentence appealed.
The Limerick Voice has also moved rapidly with the times and has developed a strong social media presence across a number of digital platforms, as well as video stories and podcasts to spread their stories to a wider audience. They reached 135,000 followers on social media accounts, as well as increasing their Instagram and TikTok followers.
Students have also spent time with local publications like the Limerick Leader to get real life experience of news gathering, writing, filming and publication.
The paper was launched by the Limerick Mayor, John Moran, who said there has never been a time when the work of journalism was more important.
He said the job of truth and fact checking is paramount in a world where disinformation is becoming a staple.
