Huge turnout of Kildare participants as Darkness Into Light run breaks previous records

Droves of people took part in Darkness Into Light runs across Kildare in the early hours of this morning, brushing off the early morning cobwebs to complete the 5km route around four different locations in the county to raise funds for suicide prevention.

Now in its ninth year, Darkness Into Light (DIL) – supported by Electric Ireland – started in the early hours of Saturday at 4.15am with thousands of people walking or running the 5km route while the dawn was breaking.

Athy, Monasterevin, Naas and Maynooth were the venues for the Darkness Into Light runs in Kildare, and each town got a great turnout for what is becoming an increasingly well-supported cause.

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More than 110,000 people registered online before the first Darkness Into Light event kicked off in New Zealand, spreading across the world, ending in Vancouver and San Francisco.

Since it began in one venue - the Phoenix Park in Dublin in 2009 – Darkness Into Light has grown into a global movement against suicide. Funds raised help to keep Pieta House counselling services free to those in suicidal crisis, people who engage in self-harm and those bereaved by suicide.

In Ireland, almost 500 people die by suicide each year; that’s ten deaths per week. Pieta House and Electric Ireland have asked the people of Ireland to wake up to this alarming issue.

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Pieta House CEO, Brian Higgins said, “For anyone who may be suffering, who may have suicidal ideation or is engaging in self-harm, or if they feel isolated, Darkness Into Light is this phenomenal and very visible sign and gesture that your community is there to support you.

“The generosity of people who support Pieta House is incredible. It’s that whole ‘pass it on’ mentality, where people give generously for someone else’s therapy and to allow us to keep it free for everyone. None of us knows whether or when we’ll need that help or not.

“Darkness Into Light brings in about a third of our annual income and helps keep our doors open. The funds allow us to serve people better.”

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