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NEWS
Dungarvan Observer | Friday, 6 May, 2016
Déise Newsround tomekeith@hotmail.com
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Please join Darkness Into Light this Saturday WE Irish are an inventive lot, as a glance back over the history of the world will prove. Cars via Henry Ford, the submarine via John Philip Holland, Irish Coffee via Foynes Flying Boat terminus and our own Ernest Walton led the team who split the atom first. And, of course, it took Bob Geldof to galvanise many countries around the world to help feed the starving of Africa. The list is endless. But there is one far more recent initiative which has taken a very firm hold in this country and which is now beginning to spread across the world. Darkness into Light was started as a fundraising venture for Pieta House which cares for those who suffer from mental health problems. This event is well known by now and will be held in 89 venues across this island next Saturday morning, commencing at 4.15 at St. Augustine’s College as the light of the rising sun drives away the darkness and
people walk into the light. Crossing the line at 4.15am, just as dawn is breaking, the phenomenon that is Darkness Into Light, will celebrate its eighth year on this coming Saturday, in 89 venues across the country as well as many more abroad. This simple, yet very effective initiative is spreading across the world courtesy of Irish people abroad who are taking up the challenge on behalf of various mental health initiatives in their countries of adoption. For example, this will be the third year that a walk / run will be held in London over the standard 5k route with Irish expats and locals encouraged to get their walking shoes on for a morning that has hope at the heart of it and solidarity front and centre. The walk will be held also in Scotland, Iceland, Sydney, Darwin, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth in Australia, as well as places in New Zealand and the
Middle East. Here in Dungarvan and County Waterford, the entire Waterford Senior Hurling Team, including players, management and back room team, fresh from their labours of last weekend, are supporting Darkness into Light 2016. An incredible 2,500 people turned out in Dungarvan last year, making up a significant part of the 100,000 or so who took part nationally. In Dungarvan alone, €35,000 was raised for this worthy cause, beyond any pre-event estimate of what might roll in. So, if you want to be part of a novel event, walk in good company and raise some money for this most worthy of causes, set your alarm for early this Saturday and roll out of bed and head for St. Augustine’s College just as the first rays of light are glimmering in the east. You will find it well worth the effort.
Taking part in last year’s Darkness into Light Walk were from left back: Jean Brennan, Lia Cunningham and Yvonne Whelan. Front: David Brennan, Dani, Ally and Lia Cunningham.
St. Cathaldus to be remembered next Tuesday NEXT Tuesday, in a remote field in Canty, Cappagh, in which there is a Holy Well, Mass will be celebrated at 7.30 in honour of one of Waterford’s native sons, St. Cathaldus. Despite the publicity that St. Cathaldus has received locally for the last sixteen years, the existence of the saint is not known outside a small circle of Canty, Cappagh residents and some people around the wider neighbourhood. Cathal, to give him his Gaelic name, was born in Canty, in 637, just six miles west of Dungarvan on the far side of Carriglea Convent taking the right at the fork at the monument and going on another mile and a half. Cathal, later to be known by his Latin name, Cathaldus and later still in Italian as San Cataldo, proved he was special even from birth. History tells that his mother died in his delivery, but when the infant was laid on her, she came back to life. It is also held that a star appeared in
the sky when he was born. A local hermit declared this to be a sign that the newlyborn was destined for great things. Such miraculous happenings and cures attended him all his life and there are
many miracles attributed to him when he was alive ands through the centuries since his death. From early in his life, Cathaldus was a devout child and when the time came, he was sent to the
school of Lismore founded by St. Carthage in 636. It was one of the premier seats of learning in Europe at the time and young Cathal distinguished himself in his studies. Later, he was retained as a teacher
there, going on to have a remarkable academic career. When his parents died, Cathaldus sold all and entered the priesthood. He was eventually made Abbot
The magnificent float with the statue of St. Cathaldus leads the procession in Taranto, Southern Italy.
or Bishop of Shanrahan, further north in the present parish of Clogheen and he distinguished himself there also. About the year 667, he decided to go on pilgrimage to the Holy Land and on his way back, the ship in which he was travelling encountered a great storm, which he had foretold and almost sank. During the storm, one of the sailors fell from the mast and was killed. Cathal was beseeched to intervene and having prayed, the storm suddenly abated and the dead sailor was restored to life. Cathaldus landed at Taranto and was welcomed by the local population, but only after he had restored speech to a young girl and restored sight to a blind man, whom he also converted to the Christian faith. Cathaldus was successful in his ministry and soon he was made Archbishop of the region. His work continued for fifteen years and when he died his body was
laid to rest in the Cathedral. The city was invaded and destroyed by the Saracens in 927 and the Cathedral lay in ruins for forty years. During the building of a new Cathedral in 1071, the body of Cathal was discovered in the ruins on the 10th of May, the day that was to become his feast day. Today, around Italy, Sicily, Malta and further afield, there are Churches and places called after Cathaldus. While many of those in Italy are in his adopted region of Taranto in the south, there are places and parishes as far north as Lombardy called after him. Cathal, the holy man from Canty, was an important and influential figure in Ireland and the Mediterranean region in his time and it is this holy man who will be honoured next Tuesday, 10th May. It is hoped that a large crowd will turn out to remember one of our true international figures.