Limerick’s Katie to shed light at conference

LIMERICK’s very own Katie Whelan, the prime mover behind the Lisa’s Lights initiative on the Thomond Bridge, will address a major conference in Dublin this Thursday.

Katie persuaded Limerick City and County Council to allow the installation of lights on the bridge, which bear positive life-affirming messages.

Now, she has been invited by the organisers of the Cycle Against Suicide scheme to appear at the annual Student Leaders’ Congress, which will attract thousands of youngsters to the RDS in Dublin.

The aim of the event is to promote positive mental health, and to emphasise the message that ‘It’s okay not to feel okay, and it’s absolutely okay to task for help’.

Ard Scoil Mhuire student Katie, 19, of the Dublin Road, confirmed: “I will be talking about Lisa’s Light, and how it affected me emotionally and how it is okay not to be okay.”

On top of this, there will be a stand to promote Lisa’s Lights – which have illuminated Thomond Bridge for almost a year now.

Katie says people visiting the table will be able to pick up a ‘survival kit’ with items inspired by messages from the Thomond Bridge, for example, teabags to reflect the message ‘add friends to your tea’.

Despite a full capacity RDS watching Katie speak, she says she is not nervous.

”I am confident. My boyfriend Christopher, and my sister Chloe are coming with me, so they will cheer me on,” she told the Limerick Leader.