Hundreds walked from Darkness Into Light in Carrick-on-Suir to raise funds for Pieta
Geraldine Prendergast and Bernie Torpey, Carrick-on-Suir pictured during Carrick-on-Suir's Darkness Into Light walk/run last Saturday morning. Pictures Anne Marie Magorrian
Hundreds of men, women and children put their best foot forward on the streets of Carrick-on-Suir at dawn last Saturday morning for the town’s annual Darkness Into Light 5km walk/run in aid of Pieta, the suicide and self-harm prevention charity.
The event was not only an occasion to raise funds for this worthy cause but to remember those who died by suicide and to raise awareness of the help Pieta offers people suffering mental health difficulties.
Mary Power of Carrick-on-Suir’s Darkness Into Light Committee said more than 800 people are estimated to have taken part in the walk/run.
“We are delighted everything went off really well. We got great support locally and received so much help,” she told The Nationalist.
At the start point at Carrick’s Green School, participants had the opportunity to place a photograph of a deceased loved one they were remembering in the walk on a special Memory Table and hang a card with a message on a Tree of Hope both erected in the school hall.
The tree, donated by Topline Cleary’s Hardware store in Carrick, is to be planted in the grounds of the Green School with cards buried under its roots.
The organising committee issued a call out for extra volunteers for this year’s event due to the N24 upgrade roadworks and diversions in the town centre, and received a huge response.
Mary reported that 50 volunteers turned out to act as stewards along the 5km route over a circuit of the town centre including crossings of the town’s Dillon Bridge and Old Bridge. Hundreds of tea lights illuminated the Darkness Into Light route for the walkers and runners.
The event finished where it began at the Green School hall where participants were treated to welcome refreshments. Mary thanked everyone who participated in the Darkness Into Light event, donated to Pieta, volunteered, helped out or supported the fundraiser in any way.
Check out more photos from Carrick-on-Suir's Darkness Into Light walk/run in this week's edition of The Nationalist now on sale in local shops.