On Saturday, 10th of May, Darkness into Light, sponsored by Electric Ireland, will take place in London for the first time. It is a unique, early morning experience which begins in darkness at 4.15am as thousands of people walk or run a 5km route while dawn is breaking. The early dawn represents hope and is symbolic of the work of Pieta House; bringing people from darkness back into the light.
Pieta House is a suicide and self–harm crisis centre founded in Lucan, Co. Dublin in 2006 by psychologist Joan Freeman. With nine centres throughout Ireland, Pieta House provides a professional, one–to–one therapeutic service for those who are experiencing suicidal ideation or engaging in self–harm. To date, Pieta House has supported more than 12,000 people, with almost 4,000 of those seeking help in 2013.
Darkness into Light London was officially launched at the Crown Moran hotel in an emotionally charged reception on the 28th of March. The event was attended by the Irish Ambassador Dan Mulhall, Pieta House founder Joan Freeman and important figures from the London Irish community.
Noel O’Sullivan, London GAA County Board, said: “I can see Darkness into Light growing into an enormous event in years to come. There are 34 affiliated clubs to the London County board and each and every one of them are going to show their support by stewarding the event on the 10th May. The GAA community is only too familiar with the devastation and loss of losing someone to suicide. We have lost almost twenty close friends and family in the last year to suicide. There are too many lives being lost in our GAA community and throughout London. We need to establish a Pieta House in London not next year or the year after that but now. We call on our colleagues, our fellow Irish diaspora and Irish organisations to work together to make this possible.”
The topic of suicide awareness and self–harm support was widely discussed by the guest speakers, with Joan Freeman providing a hard hitting and heart–warming speech about her own experiences and the reasons why she set up the crisis centres.
Joan Freeman, Founder of Pieta House, said: “The reason Pieta House started was that we wanted a living Pieta in every community in Ireland, we wanted to hold and raise the broken lives of the people. Eight years ago Pieta house started, with a very small team of me and another counsellor. We now have nine centres throughout Ireland with 170 staff and last year alone we treated and supported over 4,000 people. The youngest was six years of age and the oldest was in his eighties. It is important that we do not think of this as sad but as great news that these people had the courage and bravery to seek help and that Pieta House was there for them. The beauty of Pieta House is that it is completely free of charge and that’s why we depend so heavily on the donations of the people of Ireland and now, thankfully, London.”
The London event will take place in Cricklewood, North West London, an area which has a very strong Irish community. Darkness into Light walk has been brought to London thanks to the support and coordination of the Kerry Association London and its dedicated members.
Registration for Darkness into Light London, with Electric Ireland, is available online now at dil.pieta.ie.