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Thousands of people mark Darkness Into Light

Updated / Saturday, 9 May 2020 21:44

Thousands of people have taken part in the mental health charity Pieta House's 'Darkness Into Light' Sunrise Appeal at dawn.

As the usual walk did not take place this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, people have been finding ways to safely take part in alternative events.

In Kinsale, Co Cork, Kinsale Youth Support Services organised a parade of around 50 emergency vehicles, to meet daylight with blue light.

Last night, over €2m was raised for Pieta House by viewers of RTÉ's Late Late Show. It included a €100,000 donation from Electric Ireland.

The chief executive of Pieta House has said the increase in calls it is receiving is associated with Covid-19.

Speaking on The Late Late Show, Elaine Austin said the number of people contacting them in the last three months had more than doubled compared to the same period last year.

The money was raised in lieu of its 'Darkness into Light' fundraiser.

Ms Austin said the loss of the fundraiser - which brings in €6m - was a loss of "titanic proportions", however she said it "is so amazing to see tonight the generosity of the Irish people," and said it meant "the lifeboats were coming".

Former President Mary McAleese, Adam Clayton, Pierce Brosnan, Mary Black, Frances Black, Mary Coughlan, Sharon Shannon and astronaut Chris Hadfield appeared on the programme in support of the charity.

Mrs McAleese described suicide as one of the great tragedies of our time.

"We need organisations like Pieta to say to people do not suffer in silence, don't suffer alone, there is help there, please please seek the help," she said.

Adam Clayton said of the current Covid-19 restrictions that he believed it was hugely stressful for people to be at home at the moment, whether it is because people are working from home, are caring for their children or are concerned about their employment.

"That kind of stress and anxiety about what's happening to your job, maybe about whether or not you have a job, maybe because you have no personal space to even make a phone call on your own, this causes anxiety and for anyone feeling that, and Pieta, that's what we're all here for, there is help out there," the U2 bass player said.

Chief Executive of Pieta House, Elaine Austin

Ms Austin said that as a result of Covid-19, the organisation has moved from face-to-face therapy to phone therapy which was working "really well". However, as soon as they could get back to face-to-face interaction they would.

Paul McEvoy appeared on the programme to talk about his brother Adrian who had died by suicide.

Mr McEvoy described him as a "character...he was a great footballer, a great musician, he was just a great all rounder, he was a joy to be around, a joy to have as a brother and a friend".

"Like a lot of people who are great craic, they hide something..." Mr McEvoy said.

He described how their mother died in a car accident in 1989 and how "she just left this gaping hole in the family".

On 15 July 2007 Adrian McEvoy died by suicide aged 27 - three weeks from his 28th birthday.

"The expression 'I'm grand' was used by Adrian, and he was able to cover his tracks," Mr McEvoy said.

Mr McEvoy spoke about how he too became depressed, and despite his family's efforts to support him he said he "was able to slip back into my own ways," until his sister left a number for him to call Pieta and he reached out to them for help.

The chief executive of Pieta House said that Paul's telling of his story took courage,

"There will be someone sitting at home tonight and they'll relate and our hope is that they lift the phone and they call us," Ms Austin said.

Additional reporting Paschal Sheehy, Laura Fletcher

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