Wicklow hikers to ‘carry the weight’ of suicide with sunrise walk up Bray Head

The event, which takes place on Sunday, September 29, will see a group of some 100 people set out for the iconic Bray Head cross, each carrying a 20.45kg backpack in support of suicide prevention and youth mental health.

"The initial idea was to get 20 people each carrying 20.45kg," explained event organiser, fitness coach Karl O'Rourke.

"Total weight would be 449kg – one kilogramme for each of the 449 people who lost their life to suicide in Ireland in 2021."

However, after massive interest in the 'Carry the Weight' walk, Karl opted to ditch the 20-person limit.

"The number of people who wanted to get involved just kept growing and I didn't see the point in turning them away. So now we've about 100 hikers ready to go," he said.

Karl decided to give participants the option of remembering someone they may have lost through suicide while on the hike.

"We're getting t-shirts printed for everyone taking part and they have the option of including the name of someone special they might have lost," he said.

The hikers will set out with headtorches first thing on the morning of the event, with the goal of reaching the summit in time for sunrise.

While the hike will be challenging, Karl said those who don't feel they can manage it can still be of help:

"Please get in contact if you're willing to join, but if you don't feel you'd be physically able to complete the hike, you can always let others know about the event."

Those taking part will be gathering sponsorships in the run up to the event and the money raised will go towards a mental health initiative that provides free mental health services to young people in Bray.

Bray's Jai Sua Martial Arts coach Rob Carry, who is also involved in the event, said the club lost one of its members to suicide earlier this year. In the wake of that tragedy, the club decided to pay for private mental health services for any of the members who needed it and then fundraise to cover the cost.

"The initiative has made a huge difference to the lives of quite a number of our students but it's an ongoing challenge to keep it funded," Rob explained. "So we were delighted when Karl put together this walk and committed the funds to our initiative."

If you are interested in taking part in the Carry the Weight sunrise hike, contact Karl O'Rourke by phone on 086 446 6313 or by email at Those wishing to donate can do so here: gofund.me/1e64e950