The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
‘Kerry played key role in Darkness into Light story’
PIETA HOUSE FOUNDER JOAN FREEMAN ON THE IMPORTANCE OF DARKNESS INTO LIGHT AHEAD OF SEVEN KERRY WALKS ON MAY 6
IT’S a long spin from the Phoenix Park to Killarney, and from Killarney to Christchurch, but the relevance of Darkness Into Light’s message is fuel enough to conquer a trip of any length.
Just eight years ago, 400 people swapped the cosiness of their beds for a chilly pre-dawn stroll in the Phoenix Park, unaware they were about to spark something special.
Sporting the now-iconic yellow t-shirts, the participants completed the five-kilometre route as the sun peeked out from under the night’s black sheets. Wrapping their shivering hands around warm mugs of tea after finishing their morning’s work, they had no idea that hundreds of thousands would support Pieta House in a similar manner over the decade ahead.
Since 2006, Pieta House has offered free counselling to those suffering from suicidal ideation, those bereaved by suicide and people who are engaging in self-harm. Darkness Into Light has ballooned in popularity to become its best-known fundraising and awareness campaign, but while an international sensation today, it’s worth remembering that Killarney was the first town to lower its wick to the match Joan Freeman sparked in 2009.
“Kerry has played a huge role in the expansion of this walk,” Ms Freeman, the Pieta House founder, acknowledges.
“While 150 venues around the world will host walks on May 6, Killarney can be proud that it was our second ever venue.
“After their 14-year-old son Nathan died by suicide in the winter of 2007, Marie and Denis O’Carroll identified with the Phoenix Park walk and felt the people of Kerry would welcome a similar event just as warmly — and so it has proven.
“Killarney and Limerick city were the first two towns to hold walks outside of Dublin back in 2011, and since then Darkness Into Light has grown, and grown, and grown.”
It certainly has. The event has captured imaginations in Irish communities worldwide like a tide devouring a cove, and some 150,000 people worldwide are expected to hop out of bed for a 4.15am walk on May 6. Its obvious popularity is something Ms Freeman has often contemplated, she explains.
“Oh, this year there will be walks wherever the Irish are. You have the obvious countries like Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Dubai, you know yourself, but we also have Iceland on board, Denmark, Chinese Taipei, it’s just phenomenal.
“I founded Pieta House back in 2006. I closed my counselling business to dedicate my time to find out how we could help people who were suicidal, because it was clear something like Pieta was needed. Suicide and self-harm is something that has affected everybody in some way, and I think that also has a lot to do with Darkness Into Light’s popularity.
“The story in Kerry was similar to what happened elsewhere. People heard about the lovely event Marie and Denis O’Carroll were organising, and they identified with the symbolism of walking from darkness through to daybreak.
“People from all over the county went to that first walk in 2011, not just people from Killarney, and the follow-on from that saw the community in Listowel organise one of its own, Tralee put a walk together, Dingle has one now, I think there’s seven in Kerry in total now.
“The appetite all over the world is phenomenal; I do a lot of international work for Pieta now, and there are helping hands available everywhere. Whenever I go to New York, a lovely man from Dingle called Tony Lambe helps us out at our centre, and there are examples like that all over the planet I’m delighted to say!”
As ever, this year’s walks take place from 4.15am, with Kerry’s starting points located at The Blind Piper in Caherdaniel; Coláiste na Sceilge, Caherciveen; Dingle Marina Car Park; Kenmare Co-Op Mart; Killarney Racecourse; Listowel Racecourse; and Tralee CBS.
Joan’s primary focus these days is to expand Pieta House’s International footprint, but before she leaves us for Belfast and a return to her hectic schedule, she makes her continuing interest in the grassroots known.
“We have centres all over the country, including one at 28 Moyderwell Tralee,” she says. “One of our goals is to have a centre within 100 kilometres of everyone in Ireland, and we’re well on our way to achieving to that.
“But 90 per cent of our funding comes from fundraising, and we’d appreciate it so much if the people of Kerry got behind us one again on May 6, as they do every year.”
You can register for Darkness Into Light at www.dil.pieta.ie, which also provides all further information.
If you would like to find out more about Pieta House’s services, you can visit www.pieta.ie, or phone the Kerry centre at (066) 716-3660.