Pieta services neede more than ever, says DIL team

FOR the first time since 2019 Shannon will host a conventional Darkness Into Light in the early hours of May 7.

Brenda Leahy is the chairperson of the Shannon Darkness Into Light committee and she said that there doesn’t seem to be quite as much public interest this year as society slowly returns to a post-Covid normal, but the services provided by Pieta are desparately needed.

“Actually it has been a bit slow this year compared to other years. We would have less people in our committee, I think Covid has damaged it a bit, but there’s more need for the services now than ever due to Covid.”

The usual route will be followed, she said.

“It’ll start at Wolfe Tones, down by the diamond club, down around, taking in the graveyard and then back to the GAA club again.”

The walk begins at 4.15am, but she urged people to come a bit earlier.

“We’d love to have people there a while beforehand because there’s a manifesto given to us from Pieta to read out and it’s very poignant. We will also have a few singers there on the night.”

She said that suicide is a huge problem, and that Pieta plays a very important role in countering it. “There are so many people affected by suicide, it’s dreadful.”

Darkness Into Light happened for the first time in Dublin in 2009, with just 400 people taking part. The walks now happen all over Ireland and in numerous other countries, and is the primary fundraiser for Pieta.

Pieta was established to provide free, one-to-one counselling to people suffering from suicidal ideation, engaging in self-harm or to those bereaved by suicide.

It now has more than 200 qualified therapists across 20 physical centres, trying to ensure that help is available to those in crisis.

In 2021, despite the impact of Covid 19, it delivered over 48,000 hours of therapy to those impacted by suicide and self-harm.

More than 80,000 crisis calls and texts were answered and support was given to more than  600 households impacted and bereaved by suicide.