Darkness into Light: Thousands across Ireland take part in annual fundraiser for Pieta
Official walks took place at some 230 locations at home and abroad with 100,000 people estimated to take part
Darkness Into Light 2024 in the Phoenix Park, Dublin. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Sat May 11 2024 - 10:37
Thousands of people across the country took part in the annual Darkness into Light predawn walk on Saturday morning.
Held to raise money in aid of suicide and self-harm prevention charity Pieta, official walks took place at some 230 locations in Ireland and abroad this year.
Walkers set off in darkness from locations including GAA clubs, churches and schools. The 5km walks finish as dawn is breaking, to symbolise hope for those in distress or who have been bereaved through suicide.
The first Darkness into Light took place in the Phoenix Park in Dublin in 2009, when some 400 walkers took part in a 5km in aid of Pieta. The first international walk took place in 2012. The organisation expected more than 100,000 participants to take part in Saturday morning’s events.
Darkness into Light 2024 in Clontarf, Dublin. Photograph: Tom Honan
Darkness into Light 2024 in Clontarf, Dublin. Photograph: Tom Honan
Darkness into Light 2024 in Clontarf, Dublin. Photograph: Tom Honan
Gemma Sweeney, Gina Carruthers and Alison Sweeney pictured at the Darkness into Light 2024 walk in Clontarf, Dublin. Photograph: Tom Honan
Darkness into Light 2024 in Clontarf, Dublin. Photograph: Tom Honan
Tracey Taaffe Metcalfe from Dublin pictured at the Darkness into Light 2024 walk in Clontarf, Dublin. Photograph: Tom Honan
Darkness into Light 2024 in Clontarf, Dublin. Photograph: Tom Honan
Darkness into Light 2024 in Clontarf, Dublin. Photograph: Tom Honan
Darkness into Light 2024 in Clontarf, Dublin. Photograph: Tom Honan Dara Mac Dónaill
Darkness into Light 2024 in Clontarf, Dublin. Photograph: Tom Honan
Darkness into Light 2024 in Clontarf, Dublin. Photograph: Tom Honan
The Clontarf Ukulele Band entertain participants taking part in Darkness into Light 2024, in aid of Pieta, in Clontarf, Dublin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
Darkness into Light 2024 in Clontarf, Dublin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
Darkness into Light 2024 in Clontarf, Dublin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
Paddle boarders at Darkness into Light 2024 in Howth, Dublin. Photograph: Tom Honan
Paddle boarders at Darkness into Light 2024 in Howth, Dublin. Photograph: Tom Honan
Paddle boarders at Darkness into Light 2024 in Howth, Dublin. Photograph: Tom Honan
Darkness into Light 2024 in Clontarf, Dublin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
Shady the dog at Darkness into Light 2024 in Greystones, Co Wicklow. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho
Darkness Into Light 2024 in the Phoenix Park, Dublin. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Una Duffy and Aoife McCarthy from Monaghan at Darkness Into Light 2024 at University College Cork. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho
Darkness into Light 2024 in Greystones, Co Wicklow. Photograph: Suzy Freeman/Inpho
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