Mayo man helps charity that guided him through dark days

A Mayo man who lost his seven-month-old son in tragic circumstances four years ago has raised vital funds for an organisation that helped him through this difficult period.

Darren Coleman, a native of Knockmore and a primary school teacher now living in Lucan, Co Dublin, organised a nine-week fundraiser for the First Light Charity while training for the Dublin City Marathon.

Darren lost his seven-month-old baby boy Henry on October 22, 2020, in tragic circumstances and has spoken nationally about how paramount it is that Ireland has specialist psychiatric Mother and Baby Units where women with mental health problems during pregnancy or after the birth of their child can attend.

Darren has highlighted repeatedly that investment in mental health is not a luxury but a necessity and that recent research published by the European Commission shows that people in Ireland experience the highest level of difficulty in accessing mental health services among citizens of 27 EU member states.

Darren said First Light, a national charity that offers support to families who have experienced the unexpected death of their infant or child, helped him through some of the darkest days.

“Struggling to make sense of life or see how anything could be positive again, I reached out to First Light in November 2020. They offer free professional support to a parent that has experienced the sudden, unexpected death of their child.

“First Light specialise in child loss and grief and they have played an enormous role in my healing journey. Henry would have turned four in February 2024 and it was the fourth anniversary of his death in October 2024 and because of this the number was significant for a fundraising campaign so my aim was to raise €4,000.” 

Local groups, in particular, went above and beyond in their support for Darren and the final figure raised was an impressive €22,000 for First Light.

“I’d like to thank everyone who donated to the cause and particularly to Conn Rangers Football Club, Knockmore GAA and The Gym Ballina and Stephen Geddes who promoted the fundraising campaign at every opportunity,” he said.

“Crossing the finish line brought a huge sense of achievement. There was something incredibly powerful about setting a big goal and surpassing it.” 

First Light is a national charity that focuses on offering trauma-informed support to a parent or parents and this support encompasses crisis intervention, counselling and psychotherapy tailored to the specific needs of each family. All of First Light’s services to families are free of charge and confidential, ensuring equitable access to quality mental health services.

To learn more about First Light or submit a referral, please visit firstlight.ie.