Over 2,500 attend ‘emotional’ DiL walk

Cavan town walk now in its eleventh year.

More than 2,500 people took part in the Cavan Town Darkness into Light walk last weekend, Saturday May 6.

“It was very, very emotional,” says event organiser Fiona Corby. “There were a lot of first time walkers this year after losing someone close to them to suicide. So it was a very emotional walk this year.”

While Cavan and Bailieborough are the two main DiL host locations in the county, there were close to a dozen more satellite events also held in support of Pieta and organised by local clubs.

It is not known how much has been raised for the suicide bereavement and support service, but Fiona says the combined effort is “incredible” in terms of the message of awareness it shares within communities.

The Cavan walk, is now in its eleventh year, and Fiona remembers back to the first, held out at Cavan’s Farnham Estate, where 303 people walked.

Now at the Cavan Institute, this year the event was enhanced by the attendance of comedian and Dancing with the Stars semi-finalist Kevin McGahern, and with music from the Cavan Rugby Club Male Choir and Virginia Gospel Choir.

There was support too from a range of local businesses, including: Gardiners Carpets Cavan, Gruaig Nua, Spar Ballyconnell, Daily Brew Coffee House, Pizza Max, McVitty Transport, McBreen Environmental, and many more.

“Last year was our biggest year, and we had between 3,500 and 4,000 walk it, but with so many clubs taking part it took some of the pressure off us, and we still have more than 2,500 take part at that hour of the morning.”

Fiona says it speaks to the wider issue that remains. Eleven years suicide was recognised as an issue in communities across the country, and she says: “In Cavan [Pieta] has its own outreach centre in the Tusla building on the Cootehill Road. We have our own therapist there, and we have a Bereavement Officer who meets with families and communities affected by suicide. They do phenomenal work. They’re busy in a good way in that much of the time their work is being done on proactive basis. People are reaching out, looking for support, and that has to be encouraged,” says Fiona.