Award-winning Limerick Voice newspaper hits the streets

Pictured at the launch event of the 16th edition of the award-winning 2023 Limerick Voice newspaper were Jodie McCormack, Deputy Social Media Manager, Rachel Petticrew, Digital Editor, Aishlin Hennigan, Social Media Manager and Ellen Gough, Print Editor. Picture: Alan Place

The 16th edition of the award-winning Limerick Voice newspaper hits the streets of Limerick with over 40 stories covering news, sport and features

Exclusive reports written by University of Limerick journalism students include revelations that there is still no completion date for the investigation into the tragic death of 16-year-old Aoife Johnston, three months on from her death at University Hospital Limerick. 

Limerick Voice reporter Ellen Cornelius also speaks to a number of other bereaved families who have lost loved ones at UHL and who are campaigning for increased transparency around investigation processes.

In other front-page stories, Limerick Voice reveals how plans for the long awaited dual diagnosis programme for people battling drug addiction and mental health issues will finally be piloted in Limerick this Autumn. Confirmation of the delivery date comes in the wake of a recent study that revealed an alarming increase in the use of crack cocaine in Limerick city.

Limerick Voice 2023 also exclusively reveals how construction of a state of the art €34m Student Centre in UL will finally recommence next week following three years of delays caused by Covid 19 and ‘hyperinflation’.

It's Launch Day !

Here's a short a short snippet of our launch video. For the full version visit https://t.co/Jm89aY9MKU

We're in the @ULLibrary from 12pm to launch our print paper which is in stores now with @Limerick_Leader#LimerickVoiceLaunch pic.twitter.com/hj3IazZ3Qm— Limerick Voice (@LimerickVoice) March 15, 2023

The Sports Section celebrates the success of many leading sports figures including former Munster hooker Kate Sheehan, Ireland’s youngest AFL athlete Erika O’Shea and the Limerick Celtics wheelchair basketball team. Former Limerick hurling manager Ciaran Carey also speaks about the alarming increase in cocaine use in Ireland.

Speaking about this year’s Limerick Voice newspaper and news website, Rachel Petticrew, Digital Editor said: “The consistency and unwavering quality of our interdependent news website, podcast platform and social media coverage is not to be overlooked, and has not gone unnoticed; in January, Limerick Voice was named Best Publication in Ireland and Northern Ireland by the Student Publication Association.”

“In just a few months, I’m proud to say that our work with this publication is sure to be an asset to carry with us as we venture out into the big and not-so-bad world,” she added.

Editor-in-chief Ellen Gough said, “As college experiences go, ours has been a rollercoaster. Between lockdowns, placement, and Erasmus, our first full year on campus has been our final year. After spending most of the four-year degree studying from bedrooms in every corner of the country, we have pulled together to produce one of the finest editions of Limerick Voice

“The process was intense and exciting, there were some steep learning curves but ultimately, I am so proud of what we have produced, and so proud of the team who produced it.”

The award winning multi-media Limerick Voice news project involved 30 final-year and MA journalism students from UL who have been working on the project since last September. Over 200 hundred stories were published across multi-media platforms and 400 minutes of Podcasts and radio news bulletins were broadcast. 

Limerick Voice Instagram page reached over 30,000 accounts in the month of February alone while the Limerick Voice Twitter platform had 210 thousand impressions by March 2023. At peak times student reporters were producing 15 stories per week as well as balancing their studies and personal lives.

Limerick Voice Podcast Editor Caleb Brennan added: “Our brilliant team has also been working hard to bring this print edition, three diverse podcasts in the form of News, Sports and Features; echoing the same multimedia edge that has bolstered the Limerick Voice website this academic year.”

Limerick Voice has developed into an award-wining multi-media news project, which has become an integral part of journalism education in UL. It provides a wonderful portfolio building opportunity for our students as they prepare to enter the highly competitive world of work. We are very proud of this year’s newspaper edition, and the sterling work that has been produced across all of the Limerick Voice multimedia platforms since the beginning of the academic year. 

Read similar stories here.
Find out more here.