St.Fintan's High School

A few words from our Head Boy

The Pieta House Darkness Into Light walk is a powerful event that brings people together for a great cause. For the past couple of years, St.Fintan’s has participated in this walk with the aim of encouraging conversation about once taboo subjects, mental health, suicide and self harm. I have had the honour of walking alongside everyone for the past few years and it has truly been a pleasure to do so. 

Participating in the walk is not only enjoyable but also incredibly meaningful as we all unite to support mental health awareness. Walking with everyone, especially at dawn, creates a sense of togetherness and solidarity, knowing that we are all contributing to such a vital cause. It is a great event and a great reminder of the amount of people who you can reach out to if you ever need.

Mental health awareness is crucial in our society. By raising awareness, we can encourage open conversations, provide support to those in need, and promote overall well-being for everyone. It's essential to prioritize mental health and ensure that everyone feels supported and understood. Mental health issues can affect everyone young and old, men and women. It mighn’t always be obvious and you never know what someone might be battling with mentally. This event not only shows that there are people out there that can help you, but also raises funds for Pieta House, to ensure they can provide support in the best way possible. 

Pieta House provides many phenomenal free facilities, such as counselling, helplines, and launch a number of major nationwide awareness campaigns. By participating in this event and supporting this cause, we can make a real change by promoting understanding, compassion, and support for those facing mental health challenges. We can normalise talks about mental health and encourage each other to check up on our friends. We hope to make a difference and show our support for this great cause.

Many thanks,

RD

A few words from a member of our Student Council

The Darkness into Light walk holds a huge significance for all the lads at St Fintan’s High School, as a member of the Student Council it has allowed me to take part in this Darkness into Light along with Prefects and Senior Hurlers which has been a great honour and privilege.

Darkness into Light offers us young lads a platform to champion mental health awareness and contribute to such a noble cause. Our objective of the walk is to dismantle any stigma associated with mental health, particularly among young men, and foster a culture of acceptance within our school. By participating in the walk, we all have an aim to send a message of hope to anyone struggling, maybe be it is in our school or the wider community, showing how anyone struggling that it's okay to seek support and talk about their struggles. 

The tradition for so many of our senior students to walk together from darkness into light is incredibly important and special to many, as we never know what someone is going through, this walk serves as a beacon of unity and support for all the lads and it helps to bring awareness to such an important cause. 

By walking as a group on the 11th of MAY we aim to make lads more comfortable with the idea of talking about our mental health, we walk to remind any lad to ask for help if they need and reach out.

CB

Our DiL Team 2024

A word from Our Leader

Hi,

It’s that time of year again when the days get longer and the weather gets warmer!!! We are all on a journey and for some the walk from Darkness into the Light is hugely important. Everyday brings its own challenges but also rewards. Life is definitely an experience and we always need to see them as a learning experience regardless of the immediate reaction to the changes that take place.

Here at St. Fintan’s with the help of the school and wider community we have walked alongside each other to raise vital funds for Pieta House. We started this journey two years ago and have raised almost €10,000 on their behalf. We hope to add to that this year, with your support as we walk the journey together on Saturday May 11th 2024. 

We really appreciate the support you have given and look forward to walking again this year.

Donations can be made at the link below or from the links posted around the school.

Thanks again.

A message from a teacher in St Fintan's High School: Walking Towards Hope: Darkness into Light 2024

Shedding Light on Mental Health

In the quiet stillness of early morning, as the sun begins to rise, there's a profound sense of hope. It's a time when the world is waking up, and for those who have experienced the darkness of mental health struggles, it's a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there's always the promise of light.

On behalf of Pieta House, we at St Fintan's High School invite you to donate towards our annual charity fundraiser, Darkness into Light. This event isn't just about walking; it's about coming together as a community to show our support for those affected by suicide and self-harm. It's about shedding light on mental health issues that often remain hidden in the shadows. And most importantly, it's about offering hope to those who need it most.

Organised by our dedicated Prefects, Student Council and our Senior Hurling Team, and led by teachers, Sandra Guinan and Peter Ryan, Darkness into Light is more than just a fundraiser--it's a movement. It's a testament to the power of unity and compassion in the face of adversity.

Why We Walk

Each step we take during Darkness into Light represents a step towards healing and understanding for the young men with particular attention to those in our school. It's a symbolic journey from darkness into light, from despair to hope. Suicide and self-harm affect individuals and communities in profound ways, leaving behind heartache and unanswered questions. But by coming together to raise awareness and support for organisations like Pieta House, we can make a difference.

Pieta House is a beacon of hope for those struggling with their mental health. Through their counseling services and support programs, they provide a lifeline for individuals in crisis. By participating in Darkness into Light, we're not only raising vital funds for Pieta House, but we're also sending a message of solidarity to those young men in our school who may be struggling in silence: you are not alone, and there is help available.

How You Can Get Involved

Show your support by spreading the word about St Fintan's High School's fundraiser for Darkness into Light on your WhatsApp Groups / social media or making a donation to our fundraising efforts. Every little bit helps in the fight against suicide and self-harm.

Together, We Can Make a Difference

Let's show support for our boys walking together, for hope, for healing, and for a brighter tomorrow.

PR

A message from one of our St Fintan's Senior Students.

The Darkness Into Light walk has become a great highlight of the year in St. Fintan’s in recent years. Senior hurlers, prefects and student council members come together to do something really powerful and meaningful. 

As a senior hurler with the school, it is a privilege to be able to make such a positive impact in the school, raising awareness about mental health and also to raise funds for a great charity, Pieta House. It is really important to us that we highlight the importance of mental health and being able to talk about it. We want to get rid of any stigma around young men and mental health in our school and make it a positive environment for everyone. We will all have tough times in our lives so it’s vital that we are comfortable talking about our mental health with others.

There is a special bond within the senior hurling team, and I think every player would agree that playing hurling in the school has been a fantastic way to make new friends in the school since all the way back in 1st year. Everyone gets along really well and it’s always great craic when we’re together on the bus to games and on our traditional beach walk before school on game day. Therefore I hope that if anyone was struggling with mental health within the team, they would be comfortable talking with a teammate about it.

We hope that raising funds and walking on the 11th of May will make a difference to many people’s lives in a positive way, bringing hope to those struggling and to encourage people to reach out for help when they need it. 

'is fearr an tsláinte ná na táinte'.

JS