Darkness into Light is an annual walking event and fundraiser held, primarily, across the island of Ireland.[1] Founded in 2009 by psychologist Joan Freeman as a fundraiser in the Phoenix Park for Pieta House suicide prevention and counselling, 400 attended the first event while the 2017 event was attended by an estimated 150,000[2] participants at more than 150 locations.[3] Similar events occur in Australia and New Zealand, Asia and North America.[1][2][4][5]

Goal and operation

Main article: Pieta House

The Darkness into Light event is a fundraiser for Pieta House, a charity which provides counselling to anyone struggling with suicide or for anyone impacted by suicide.[6]

The event involves participants, who typically seek sponsorship to fundraise for the charity, to meet before dawn (4:15am) on a particular Saturday in May and walk or run for 5 km to meet the sunrise.[7][8] From its inauguration in Dublin in 2009, which involved 400 participants, by 2018 the fundraising event had grown to include over 200,000 participants at 150 locations in 19 countries.[6][9]

Electric Ireland has sponsored Darkness into Light since 2013. The utility company has also helped promote and raise awareness for Pieta House.[10]

Other events

A similar event held in the United States, known as the "Out of the Darkness Walk", is run by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.[11] Beginning in 2004, the US event is a community walk that takes place in towns across the country. Similar to the Darkness into Light Walk, it is a walking fundraiser where participants walk-side-by-side in support of one another. The goal of this event is to bring more awareness to mental health, fight suicide and also remember loved ones lost to suicide.[11]

References

  1. ^ Ruxton, Dean (7 May 2016). "'More than 120,000' take part in Darkness into Light walk". Irish Times. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  2. ^ "Thousands take part in 'Darkness into Light' fundraising event". RTÉ News. 10 May 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  3. ^ "Here are some of the images from the Darkness into Light event". BreakingNews.ie. 6 May 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  4. ^ O'Regan, Michael (9 May 2017). "Taoiseach had ‘neck’ to go on Canadian Darkness into Light walk, says Senator". Irish Times. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  5. ^ "Pieta House founder surprised Enda Kenny had 'the neck' to take part in Darkness Into Light". BreakingNews.ie. 9 May 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  6. ^ "About Darkness Into Light". Darkness Into Light. Retrieved 2019-05-07.
  7. ^ Pollak, Sorcha (9 May 2015). "Thousands take part in Darkness into Light walks worldwide". Irish Times. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  8. ^ "Pieta House event shows light at end of darkness". TheJournal.ie. 5 May 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  9. ^ Peerworks Consulting (2018). "Case Study: Darkness into Light". Peerworks Consulting. Archived 2020-08-09 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 22 Jan 2022.
  10. ^ Darkness into Light. "Our Sponsors". Retrieved 10 Feb 2022.
  11. ^ American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. "Out of the Darkness Community Walks". Retrieved 28 Jan 2022.