Late Late show raises €2m for Pieta House in broadcast appeal

Each light in the plaza represents a person who had died by suicide in Ireland in 2019. Picture: RTÉ

The Late Late show raised €2m for Pieta House last night during their broadcast appeal.

Pieta House's helpline was displayed during the show and the plaza at RTÉ was lit up with lights each representing a person who had died by suicide in Ireland in 2019.

Speaking about the appeal, Late Late Show presenter Ryan Tubridy said: "Every cent donated tonight will fund therapy hours at Pieta and ensure that their 24/7 crisis helpline remains open."

During the show Paul McEvoy, a Pieta House client, spoke about losing his brother to suicide and his own battles with mental health.

His sister referred him to the support group by simply leaving a phone number out for him.

Earlier: Thousands take part in Sunrise Appeal for Pieta House

A view ofDublin on the morning of Darkness into light. Picture: Kelvin Hughes.

Thousands of people have taken part in this morning's Sunrise Appeal for suicide prevention charity Pieta.

Many of us shared the sunrise at the sea. Nice to do it together. #DarknessIntoLight #DIL2020 pic.twitter.com/PrHYW7h8NG

— Dr. Niamh Shaw 🪐🌎☘️ (@Dr_Niamh_Shaw) May 9, 2020

The annual Darkness Into Light event - which over 250,000 people were expected to attend - could not go ahead this year.

The Covid-19 pandemic has led to an overall budget shortfall of more than €6.5m for the charity.

Pieta's Tom McEvoy is encouraging anyone who got up at dawn for the Sunrise Appeal to share their photos.

He says: "Go on to Darknessintolight.ie. It's a lovely website we have set up a lovely app on it as well where you can load up your photos, your special selfie photos of perhaps where you are, at this time and share with others.

"It is a whole site of hope, hopefully that we are going to see on our website Darknessintolight.ie and perhaps if you could make a donation on that."