Great cause, great turnout. Fair play to everyone involved.
In the early hours of Saturday morning, tens of thousands of people across Ireland rose from their beds to support Darkness Into Light 2018, a fantastic initiative by Irish suicide and self-harm crisis centre, Pieta House.
Pieta House has been running its annual fundraiser at over 100 venues across Ireland and at 4.15am, tens of thousands of people walked and ran five kilometres to show their support for the cause.
Speaking with JOE,Pieta House CEO Brian Higgins said: “We’re on target to get the 200,000 people that we hoped for. If they’re all doing five kilometres each, that should equate to one million in total participating in the march against suicide. So it’s really working.”
Darkness Into Light campaign has already seen phenomenal success in recent years and here’s just a sample of the huge crowds that gathered nationwide and worldwide.
Phoenix Park, earlier. #DIL2018 pic.twitter.com/k769MnCLE0
— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) May 12, 2018
https://twitter.com/JOEdotie/status/995202763809329152
Bridges Lit Up Yellow – For Darkness Into Light Sligo 🌅
Thank you to Sligo BID for lighting Sligo up yellow, in support of Darkness Into Light. As you move through Sligo town on the route or on your way to the venue enjoy the yellow glow 🌅#Sligo #DIL2018 pic.twitter.com/raZAWjjhwq
— DIL Sligo (@DIL_Sligo) May 11, 2018
Eerie silence in @phoenixparkopw ahead of #DIL2018, when the road will be full of #hope at 4.15am 🌓 pic.twitter.com/2RtawC7FnC
— Pieta (@PietaHouse) May 11, 2018
A grand soft Irish morning at the beautiful Han river for @DILSeoul #darknessintolight2018. Great work by the DIL committee and a strong turnout despite the weather. Well done all. @IrishinKorea @SeoulGaelsGAA pic.twitter.com/KIzJyeYqN2
— Irish Embassy Korea (@IrishEmbKorea) May 12, 2018
People literally walking into light this morning in Athlone. Share your pics below. Emma is live until 5.50am.
☎️ @PietaHouse helpline number; 1800 247 247 pic.twitter.com/aqS7WRZIDD
— iRadio (@ThisisiRadio) May 12, 2018
There is HOPE 💛
Darkness into Light – Limerick. #DIL18 pic.twitter.com/4DYkdggJdL
— Lauren Guilfoyle (@LaurenGuilfoyle) May 12, 2018
Darkness Into Light is in four venues in the United Arab Emirates this year: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and Ras Al Khaima. It's incredible to see such strides being made against mental health stigma in the UAE, so the growth of #DIL2018 here is very special to us. 💛 pic.twitter.com/z6IpYNkdgF
— Pieta (@PietaHouse) May 11, 2018
As proud sponsors of Darkness Into Light, we'd like to thank everyone who volunteered, woke up and walked with us for @PietaHouse. What an incredible start to a day. #DIL2018 pic.twitter.com/hHYFQr7AIQ
— Electric Ireland (@ElectricIreland) May 12, 2018
The sun rising across Phoenix Park this morning during #DIL2018 pic.twitter.com/xDpzYNow7l
— JOE.ie (@JOEdotie) May 12, 2018
Le chéile ag Fáinne Geal an Lae @dilhk2018 Thanks to the 600+ Friends who joined the second annual HK Darkness into Light walk. GRMA – thanks to the Organisers & our amazing Volunteers. pic.twitter.com/V7aZOs3y2Z
— Ireland in Hong Kong (@IrelandinHK) May 11, 2018
We’re lighting up the world this morning! Thank you, each and every one, for your support, your belief, and your incredible generosity 💛 #DIL2018 pic.twitter.com/jW7GhKNC1G
— Pieta (@PietaHouse) May 12, 2018
An early start in Warsaw to walk together from #DarknessIntoLight. Well done to all involved in making Poland’s first DIL such a success – raising money and awareness for a very important cause @PietaHouse #DIL2018 #hope pic.twitter.com/eBZGctW9Rr
— Ireland in Poland (@IrlEmbWarsaw) May 12, 2018
Ready to go in Reykjavik #DIL2018 pic.twitter.com/2zOR2AADSz
— Pieta (@PietaHouse) May 11, 2018
#darknessintolight @PietaHouse ready to go in @murroeweb @PeopleofLIMK #Hope #community pic.twitter.com/qKEPvVjNzM
— Prof Ita Richardson (@itajrd) May 11, 2018
#DIL2018 has reached South Africa… Darkness Into Light Cape Town has begun! We can't wait to see their sunrise 💛 pic.twitter.com/GbQr1dNFWP
— Pieta (@PietaHouse) May 12, 2018
Light has come to Wellington, NZ! #DIL2018 pic.twitter.com/XhnO5o3OtI
— Pieta (@PietaHouse) May 11, 2018
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