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Two Limerick lads set up Blue or Bald fundraiser for Pieta House

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Blue or Bald Fundraiser – Pictured above is Liam Liddane and Cian Mulkern, who are the creators of the Blue or Bald fundraiser.

Two Limerick lads set up Blue or Bald fundraiser for Pieta House

By I Love Limerick correspondent Caoimhe Siochru

Blue or Bald Fundraiser

The inaugural launch of Pieta House ‘Darkness Into Light’ in 2010. Picture: Emma Mac.


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Two Limerick lads, Liam Liddane and Cian Mulkern, have organised a Blue or Bald fundraiser on GoFundMe to raise money for mental health charity Pieta House.

The fundraising page was set up two weeks ago and has already raised €1,390 of the €2,000 goal. An Instagram page called ‘Blue or Bald’ was also set up to spread the word, which already has over 400 followers.

The page’s first post reads, “I’d like to tell you about a fundraiser that myself (Liam) and Cian are organising for Pieta House. On March 31st, we’re inviting you all to go blue (paint/dye/clothing etc.) or bald in aid of Pieta House, to share the message ‘It’s ok to be blue”.

When asked how they came up with the idea for the fundraiser, Liam told I Love Limerick, “I came up with the idea while listening to a Blindboy Boatclub podcast. He was talking about how people constantly compare themselves to this ideal self and take themselves a bit too seriously, and I really related to it. At first, I thought I should shave my head and just embrace being vulnerable for once. But then I thought, actually, I should try to get everyone else to join me and make it a bit of a fundraiser”. 

Cian and Liam also thought about incorporating the ‘blue’ aspect into the fundraiser, to make it easier for others to join.

Liam added, “Mental health awareness is a topic that’s close to my heart as I lost my mother to suicide only two years ago, and she herself was a huge advocate for wellness and instilled a sense of compassion for others in me from a young age. On top of that, I just think that many people in Ireland still aren’t transparent enough about their mental wellbeing as they should be, so we just want people to come together and say ‘It’s ok to be blue’.”

Liam and Cian are encouraging everyone to either go blue or bald on Thursday, March 31 to share the message that it is okay to be vulnerable and open about mental health. Funds raised will go towards Pieta House, a charity that provides free one-to-one therapeutic services and support to those struggling with mental health issues and people who have been bereaved by suicide. 

Liam also wrote on the Blue or Bald Instagram page, “My mom was a huge mental health campaigner, so I’d like to keep her passion for wellbeing alive by promoting positive mindfulness.”

For more stories on Pieta House, go HERE

To donate to Liam and Cian’s Blue or Bald fundraiser, go HERE  

Richard is a presenter, producer, songwriter and actor. He was named the Limerick Person of the Year (2011) and won an online award at the Metro Éireann Media and Multicultural Awards (2011) for promoting multi-culturalism online. Richard says that the ilovelimerick.com concept is very much a community driven project that aims to document life in Limerick. So, that in 20 years time people can look back and remember the events that were making the headlines.