A large crowd gathered in The Bush Hotel, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim on Friday April 1st as Pieta House launched Leitrim, Roscommon and Sligo’s Darkness Into Light 2016 (DIL 2016) series of events in association with Electric Ireland.
Picture Credit: Keith Nolan Photography
Joan Freeman Founder of Pieta House, was joined by Kevin Molloy from Electric Ireland, Michael Harding playwright and novelist, signer Eleanor Shanley, along with members of local organisations and volunteers from across the three counties to launch DIL, now in its eighth year.
The event takes place on Saturday May 7th 2016. Carrick-on-Shannon, Ballaghadereen, Roscommon Town, Sligo town as well as the new venues of Castlerea and Banada will host the DIL event this year. Darkness Into Light 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. Last year’s event attracted over 100,000 participants in over 80 locations across Ireland and abroad.
“Last year’s Darkness Into Light events in Leitrim, Roscommon and Sligo were an incredible success and we’re delighted that they’re hosting the walk again this year,” said Joan Freeman, Founder of Pieta House. “We’re so grateful for your continued support. Your courage, vision and generosity has helped to change the conversation around suicide and self-harm and helped Pieta House to bring hope to over 5,000 people alone last year. Together we’re leading the way with Darkness Into Light, now reaching communities from Roscommon to Abu Dhabi and many more across the world” she said.
Pieta House is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. More than 20,000 people have come through their nine centres across Ireland during the last decade.
Online registration and further details will be available on www.darknessintolight.ie.
For more information on Darkness Into Light events in the Leitrim, Roscommon or Sligo areas contact Tom McEvoy on 087 2430700.