Strong start to DIL fundraising after popular table quiz night
Image 1 of 16
Claire Lynch, Kacey McEntee, Jenny McEntee and Michaela Newcomb from Mullingar.Image 2 of 16
Joe Martin, Willy Geraghty and Philip O’Connell from Mullingar.Image 3 of 16
Louise Ahearne, Ciara Maguire, Des Maguire and Vinny Maguire on the DIL quiz night.Image 4 of 16
Bernie McLoughlin, Chloe McNamee and Yvonne McNamee at the quiz.Image 5 of 16
Maggie McLoughlin and John Nevin at the Annebrook House Hotel to support the Darkness Into Light fundraiser.Image 6 of 16
Jason Monaghan and Declan Connolly at the table quiz.Image 7 of 16
Carl Briscoe was the quizmaster.Image 8 of 16
Colette Dunning, Maureen O’Hehir and Mary Lynam Dunne from Mullingar.Image 9 of 16
Loren Crowley and Audrey Moughty from the DIL committee.Image 10 of 16
Carl Kinahan, Ronan Monaghan and Ruth Illingworth were the scorekeepers.Image 11 of 16
George Coyle, Santiago Belizon and Cllr Ken Glynn took part in the quiz.Image 12 of 16
Peg Daly, Kryssy Dunne Wright and Lola Coughlan from Mullingar.Image 13 of 16
Chris and Eleeze McCann at the Darkness Into Light quiz.Image 14 of 16
Berty and Seamus Dunne at the quiz.Image 15 of 16
Daniel Maslin and John McEvilly, Mullingar.Image 16 of 16
Brian Gorey and Maeve Ryan at the Annebrook for the quiz.Momentum is building ahead of the annual Darkness Into Light events on Saturday, May 9, and the Mullingar committee have made a strong start on fundraising, thanks to a well attended table quiz on Thursday week last.
“It was really good,” said committee member Loren Crowley. “We had 15, 16 tables of people and I think we raised about €1100 for Pieta House.
“We had a lot of spot prizes, and a lot of local businesses in town were fantastic.”
Loren gave a special shout-out to Bernie McLaughlin, who is also involved in helping to organise the Darkness into Light walk.
“She lost her own son to suicide a couple of years ago. She went out on her own with no help and she collected every spot prize that we had.
“Nearly every business pitched in, because she is so known around the town everyone gave her something.
“So we have to thank Bernie specifically for that.”
The night also featured some live music and finger food for attendees. Des, Vinnie and Ciara McGuire took first place in the quiz.
The Darkness Into Light walk route starts at Mullingar Rugby Club, goes to the hospital and back.
The Mullingar organisers are hoping to see a large turnout on Saturday. At a committee meeting last week, they discovered that their website had received the most views in its history.
According to Loren, the committee and wider community are making every effort to make the event as accessible as possible. “Farrelly’s Coaches are putting on buses from Columb Barracks going to the Mullingar Rugby Club every 15 minutes. That’s to provide people with the service who don’t have a car or maybe don’t want to bring a car.
“We’re going to have refreshments on the night and a bit of music afterwards as well.”
The walk starts at 4.30am, and participants planning to sign up in person are advised to arrive in good time.
“We encourage everybody to please come out and sign up and do the walk with us,” said Loren. “It’s for a great cause, every family in the country has been touched by mental health or suicide in some way.
“We’re trying to raise awareness that there is support out there and there is help out there for people and that talking about it is the best method.
“We just want to get people together on May 9 and show people that there shouldn’t be a stigma around it – depression is like having any other illness, it’s normal and it can be helped.”
Students at Mullingar Community College will help light the way for those taking part in the walk. “We’re going to light up the roundabouts,” said Loren. “I think Mullingar Community College are decorating their school, and I think they’re also going to decorate one of the roundabouts.
Two other roundabouts on the route will also be lit up. “They’re going to look lovely all lit up, especially at quarter past four in the morning.”
Loren thanked the owners and staff at the Annebrook House Hotel for hosting the launch and fundraiser. She also thanked Slevins and Bernie McLaughlin for their support.
The committee are still on the lookout for volunteers so anyone interested in helping out can contact them via Facebook, Darkness into Light Mullingar.