‘It just resonates locally, in the absence of those services, that we can fill some sort of gap' – Darkness into Light empowers families of loved ones who died by suicide in New Ross

Irish Independent

13-05-2025

The event which aims to raise awareness around suicide and the services offered by Pieta House, is also a place where people, who have been directly impacted by the death of a loved one or friend through suicide, can support each other throughout the 5 km route, which has again this year proven to be an emotional time for all involved.
Speaking about the bittersweet event held in New Ross, a member of the organising committee, Sinéad Dolan, explained that it was a community effort in preparing for the walk which catered for approximately 400 people. Members of the Traveller community assisted with setting out the route with signage and candles; Owen Lennon of Medi-Fit prepared the crowed in attendance as he carried out a warm-up before the walk commenced; and a welcomed addition to this year's event was that TY students from CBS Secondary School New Ross hosted the social connect where they provided tea and coffee afterwards in the school, where people could also have a chat.
"Darkness into Light is always an emotional event,' said Sinéad. 'We had five families with us on the walk, that we knew of, who have been directly impacted by suicide in the district in the last year or so,' she continued.
'Some of those family members approached us afterwards, they were naturally upset, but also felt empowered and supported by the community around them.
"These people shared with us that they have availed of the bereavement service offered by Pieta, and its also the empathy from the community that carried a lot of people through the grief that they are still going through every day."
Sinéad, who volunteers with various charities and is a member of the New Ross Women's Shed, said she chose to become a member of the Pieta organising committee in the area because when she was a teenager a close friend of hers died by suicide, leaving so many questions unanswered.
She also explained that growing up, there was a number of suicides in the area of her housing estate where she lived with her family, and she has always been conscious of how the deaths of her late friends and her friends' parents by suicide have impacted and devastated the lives of others in the community.
"The transparency of the funds in Pieta is one reason I chose to support the organisation, but the gap in services across the county, particularly where mental health beds and services are concerned is another.
"We fought so hard to get the Pieta office opened in Wexford, and there's such a gap in services with either the government or the HSE, and those beds were never replaced when St Senan's closed down, so although Pieta is available and has its services, we still need to work as a community in regards to mental health and suicide prevention and we need an emergency crisis service for people that are at the point of suicide.
"Last year, 400 people were helped by Pieta in Wexford and that puts it into perspective, because it is impactful. And you can see the impact directly at events like the walk on Saturday when you people coming afterwards came up and said, 'I wouldn't have got through it last year without the help of Pieta.' It just resonates, locally, in the absence of those services, that we can fill some sort of gap,' Sinéad said.
The organising committee would like to thank the District Council and all sponsors and local businesses who made the event possible.