Light at end of tunnel for suicide run in Killaloe

A young woman whose father died after taking his own life is to “light up the night” with an ultraviolet colour run to raise awareness about suicide.

Ciara McCullough, from Ballinahinch, Tipperary, was one year old when her father Joseph died.

Through her formative years Ciara, 24, began having suicidal thoughts and felt somehow guilty for her father’s passing. However, by talking openly about suicide, the brave photographer has found light at the end of a dark tunnel.

“I felt very sad in myself. It was something that weighed very heavily on me. I thought it was my fault, and I thought [that my father believed] I wasn’t worth sticking around for, and that built up from a very young age,” she said.

“That feeling of not being good enough kept going and in the relationships that I put myself into, whether they were friendships or a deeper relationship with somebody.”

Having come through her own unique experience of suicide, her message to others battling depression is, “it’s OK to have that conversation”.

Ciara explained the concept behind the UV Colour Run is to bring a little colour into people’s lives.

“The fun run/walk is 3km and at every kilometre you get a different colour thrown at you. It’s going to be at night time so all the colours will glow in the dark. It’s my way of promoting positive mental health, by linking a positive event with mental health and to get people talking about mental health in order to normalise the conversation,” she said.

The run takes place at Clarisford Park, Killaloe, Co Clare, on Saturday with registrations from 7.30pm and ending around midnight.

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