By Sean Moriarty

Details of this year’s Darkness into Light – Nathan’s Walk will be unveiled at a special launch event at Reidy’s Bar on Tuesday night.

Marie O'Carroll set up the Killarney walk in 2011 following the loss of her 14-year-old son Nathan. It was the second such event – which raises awareness on suicide and mental health.

The idea behind 'Nathan’s Walk, Darkness into Light - Pieta House' is to help spread awareness to help prevent suicide and self-harm. It's also a chance to raise vital funds for the service provided free by Pieta House.

The inaugural event took place in Dublin’s Phoenix Park the year before and it has now grown to become and international event.

This year’s event will start at 4.25am on May 7 from Ross Castle and Marie is encouraging early registration as she is expecting a large turn-out. The walk did not take place in 2020 and last year’s walk was a scaled back version due to the pandemic.

Souvenir t-shirts from the annual event have become sought after collectors’ items.

“We will open registration at the launch,” Marie told the Killarney Advertiser. “T-shirts are in limited supply this year so we are encouraging early registration. We don’t want big crowds at the sign-on desk on Saturday morning either.”

Additional early registration dates have been organised for the Racecourse on May 5 between 5pm and 8pm and May 6 between 5pm and 8pm.

London Darkness into Light

London's Darkness into Light is also making a return next month with two events to raise funds for the Immigrant Counselling and Psychotherapy (ICAP), a mental health charity serving the Irish community in the UK.

Both events have an Aghadoe native at the helm.

Liam Kearney is the chairman of the London organising committee and he is running one walk at the London Irish Rugby Club’s training ground in Hazelwood.

Tara Cronin who, during her term as secretary of the Kerry Association London, was one of the founders of the London walk back in 2014.

She is now the fundraising and events manager with ICAP and she will take charge of the Cricklewood walk.

“We are delighted that the walks are back after two years when we could not gather together to walk from the Darkness into the Light," Liam said. "This year we welcome you to join us at either of the two walks, Hazelwood or Cricklewood, at 4.15am. We will gather to remember all those that we have lost to suicide and hope that each of us by walking, running, hiking, swimming can be the power to be a light against the dark.”