Darkness into Light
O
n Saturday 7th of May, the Pieta Darkness into Light walk returned to Sir James Mitchell Park after a two year pandemic break. The morning was a comfortable and dry 12 degrees and the sunrise put on a beautiful display of vibrant purple and orange colours over a calm Swan River. Darkness into Light is the Irish suicide prevention charity’s flagship fundraising event each year, involving tens of thousands of supporters in Ireland and around the globe symbolically walking 5km from darkness into light. It started with approximately 400 people walking the 5km course
in Dublin’s Phoenix Park in 2009 and has grown to become an international event with 200,000 people participating in 2019. There was over 24 International locations with over forty international partner charities this year including the local charity partner, The Claddagh Association. A crowd of over 600 people gathered in Perth in darkness at sunrise and continued through to dawn to symbolise the journey from despair to hope. The emotion of the morning was clear to be seen as many a tear was shed as the participants crossed the start line.
THE IRISH SCENE | 89
