Laois GAA champs, Durrow soccer club and prison officers rise to Darkness into Light challenge

Laois GAA County Gaelic Football Champion will join Durrow Lions AFC and staff at the Midlands Prison in hosting Darkness Into Light 5km walks for 2023 in aid of the charity Pieta.

Durrow will hold its first walk, starting at 4.15am on Saturday, May 6, setting off from Lions AFC grounds. The 5km route takes participants out the Abbeyleix road, turning down towards Dunmore Wood, coming out onto the Swan Road and back towards the starting point.

"We are delighted that we have some fabulous musicians along our route to entertain us also," the local organisers say.
Portarlington GAA are proud to be again partnering with Darkness into light by doing a 5km walk to raise awareness and funds for Pieta house.

They say no registration is required and donations can be made on the day or at www.darknessintolight.ie/fundraisers/PortarlingtonGAA1197

“Join us for the most important sunrise of the year and help raise much-needed funds for suicide prevention," says the club.
The gates of McCann open there at 3.45 am and the walk will start and end at the club, on Station Road.

Midlands Prison staff and families will hold their walk also at 4.15 am, starting from the prison carpark, on the Dublin road in Portlaoise.

Mountmellick, where the first and biggest walks were held in Laois, will not host a walk in 2023. Susan and John Nelson had organised the event every year.

"Unfortunately we had no committee. We thought in January we would be able to pull one together but it didn't work out. Hopefully we will be back next year and we wish the surrounding venues the best of luck," Susan told the Leinster Express.

There are over 200 official walks for Darkness Into Light in 2023 across 15 countries spanning 5 continents. Individuals and teams can also register on the website to do their own challenges and seek fundraising donations.

Entry is €26 for adults, €5 for a child and €62 for a family. People are urged to reuse a yellow Darkness Into Light t-shirt from a previous walk to ensure as much income as possible goes to the service, and to save the environment.

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Pieta provides free, therapeutic approach to people who are in suicidal distress, engage in self-harm, or bereaved by suicide, 24/7.