DARKNESS INTO LIGHT has raised nearly €6.5 million for suicide-prevention charity Pieta as thousands of people braved poor weather condition to take part in the annual event as dawn broke this morning.
Over 140,000 people in Ireland and across the world signed up for the fundraiser this year to help support Pieta’s suicide intervention, counselling and bereavement services.
Pieta first held the event in 2009 with approximately 400 participants. Since then it has grown into a major annual event which serves as the charity’s main fundraiser.
In normal years, tens of thousands of people gather around the world for a 5km walk at dawn.
Covid-19 restirctions meant organised gatherings were cancelled for the second straight year but thousands of hardy souls took to the streets and the seas for a socially distanced sunrise.
Despite heavy rain and wind across Ireland thousands of people braved the elements and shared their experience on social media, contributing to Pieta’s Sunrise campaign.
The charity had exceeded its €5 million goal even before the event got underway this morning. At the time of writing, the event had raised over €6,400,000.
Viewers of RTÉ’s Late Late Show contributed €1.1 million to the campaign during a funding drive last night.
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