06 May 2016

Moving from Darkness into Light
despite the lack of sunshine

Late evening sunshine on the seafront in Bray (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2016)

Patrick Comerford

We have been promised sunshine and high temperatures reaching the low 20s in Dublin this weekend. Earlier today, as I arrived at Christ Church, Taney, for the funeral of a former collague, there was just a hint of the bright sunshine breaking through.

There had been some bright sunshine at Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, yesterday [5 May 2016], when I climbed the tower to the parapets with the Choir and other cathedral clergy colleagues. As the Choir sang the Ascension Day introit, the cloister garth below appeared to be bathed in a little sunshine, and so my hopes were raised for today.

With the choir on the parapets of the tower in Christ Church Cathedral on Ascension Day (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2016)

But by the time I had returned to work after lunch the sunshine had not yet arrived, and I was still waiting for it when I left at 5 p.m.

Two of us went out to Bray for an early evening meal in Carpe Diem, and took a short stroll on the pebbles and the watch later on, and watched the waves in the bright lights at the close of day.

But the promise of an early taste of summer has not materialised … yet.

I rise early tomorrow morning and plan to be in Marlay Park to take part in ‘Darkness Into Light,’ the annual pre-dawn walk in aid of Pieta House and to raise suicide awareness.

But now the forecasts are predicting heavy rains in south Dublin before and at dawn in the morning.

It’s hardly enough to dishearten me, though. The walk starts at 4.15 a.m. in the morning [7 May 2016], crossing the line just as dawn is breaking, which gives the walk its name, ‘Darkness Into Light.’

This is an annual 5km walk or run, and is celebrating its eighth year, with over 100 venues across Ireland and beyond lined up. It is a cause worth supporting, whether it is raining or not, whether it is dark or bright.

Blossom and a hint of sunshine at Christ Church, Taney, this morning (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2016)

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