2,000 on Wexford’s Darkness Into Light walk
WHILE most of us were sound asleep during the early hours of Saturday morning, more than 2,000 people gathered in the darkness at St Joseph’s Centre in Wexford to mark the start of the Darkness into Light walk.
A lot of young people and children, and more women than men, took part in the walk, organised locally by Liam McCabe, a member of Wexford Marinewatch which provided some of the stewards for the local event, which progressed to Killeens, along Clonard Avenue, Summerhill and Talbot Green before heading back to to St Joseph’s for well deserved cups of tea and coffee.
Darkness into Light, the suicide and mental health awareness charity Pieta House’s flagship annual walk, was held in 150 locations across the country.
The event kicked off at 4.15 a.m. - with the largest gathering of around 12,000 people setting off in Phoenix Park. Now in its ninth year, Darkness Into Light – supported by Electric Ireland – sees thousands of people walking or running a 5km route while the dawn was breaking.
One of those taking part in the Wexford walk, Leonard Kelly, a co-founder of ‘Community Minds’ and ‘Friends of It’s Good 2 Talk’, said ‘an amazing group of over 2,000 people came together in the early hours of Saturday morning to support the wonderful work of Pieta House.
‘And also to show that as a community we can continue to support each other in reducing stigma, and building awareness of mental health and wellness issues, always knowing that it is possible to walk from darkness into light.’
Everyone who took part in the Wexford walk signed a Banner of Hope at the centre.