€ 1.5 million raised for Pieta House by Late Late Show viewers

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Spectators of the Late Late Show raised more than € 1.5 million for Pieta House, the suicide prevention charity. It included a € 100,000 donation from Electric Ireland.

The CEO of Pieta House, the suicide prevention and grief counseling service, has said the increase in calls he receives is associated with Covid-19.

Speaking at the Late Late Show, Elaine Austin said the number of people who contacted them in the past three months had more than doubled compared to the same period last year.

“In February, March, and April of last year we had 6,000 calls and text messages, this year it’s 1,400 … and we have to consider that that’s associated with Covid-19,” Austin told Ryan Tubridy.

The money was raised in lieu of its Darkness into Light fundraiser, which would have participated in the early hours of this morning, but was canceled due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Ms Austin said the loss of the € 6 million fundraiser was a loss of “titanic proportions”, however, she said “it is so surprising to see the generosity of the Irish tonight”, and said it meant ” that the lifeboats were coming. “

Guests, former President Mary McAleese, Adam Clayton, Pierce Brosnan, Mary Black, Frances Black, Mary Coughlan, Sharon Shannon, and astronaut Chris Hatfield appeared on the show in support of the charity.

Former President Mary McAleese described suicide as one of the great tragedies of our time.

“We need organizations like Pieta to tell people not to suffer in silence, not to suffer alone, that there is help there, please seek help.” Mrs. McAleese said.

Adam Clayton said of the current Covid-19 restrictions that he believed it was very stressful for people to be at home right now, either because people work from home, care for their children, or are concerned about their employment.

“That kind of stress and anxiety about what happens to your job, maybe about whether or not you have a job, maybe because you don’t have personal space to make a phone call on your own, this causes anxiety and for anyone who Feel that, and Pieta, that’s what we’re all here for, there’s help out there, “said the U2 bassist.

Pieta House CEO Elaine Austin

Ms. Austin said that as a result of Covid-19, the organization moved from face-to-face therapy to telephone therapy that worked “really well.”

However, Ms. Austin said that as soon as they could return to face-to-face interaction they would.

Paul McEvoy appeared on the show to talk about his brother Adrian who had died of suicide.

McEvoy described him as a “character … he was a great footballer, a great musician, he was a great all-rounder, it was a joy to be around, a joy to have as a brother and friend.”

“Like many people who are so funny, they hide something …” said McEvoy.

He described how his mother died in a car accident in 1989 and how “she just left this hole in the family.”

On July 15, 2007, Adrian McEvoy died of suicide at age 27, three weeks after his 28th birthday.

“The expression ‘I am great’ was used by Adrian and was able to cover his tracks,” said McEvoy.

Mr. McEvoy reported that he, too, became depressed and, despite his families’ efforts to support him, said that “he was able to get in my own way again,” until his sister left him a number to call Pieta and reached out to them for help.

The CEO of Pieta House said Paul’s narration of his story required courage,

“There will be someone sitting at home tonight and they will bond and we hope they pick up the phone and call us.” Mrs. Austin said.



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