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Kayla McGowan skydive- picture above are Ciara O Halloran, Ian McCloughney, Kyla McGowan and Emma Austin. Kayla McGowan skydive- picture above are Ciara O Halloran, Ian McCloughney, Kyla McGowan and Emma Austin.

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Update: Kyla McGowan, Miss Limerick 2020 skydives for Pieta House

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Kayla McGowan skydive – pictured above are Ciara O Halloran, Patrick McLoughney, Kyla McGowan and Emma Austin.

UPDATE: Kyla McGowan skydive with friends raises thousands for Pieta House

Kyla McGowan’s skydive fundraiser for Pieta House has raised over €8,000. She said to I Love Limerick, “It was honestly one of the best experiences of my life. I couldn’t recommend it enough. The worst part is pushing yourself out of the plane but after that, I can’t even put into words how amazing you feel after it, a pure adrenaline buzz!”

14 people took part in the skydive including Kyla, Ciara Brosnan, Clodagh Cahill, Liam Kennedy, Jordan Ryan, John Hayes, Cormac Nash, Eddy Fitz, Patrick McLoughney, Emma Austin, Ciara O’Halloran,  Munster Trade Sales and West Link Auto Repairs.


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Kyla said, “Free Falling at 220km a minute wouldn’t usually be my idea of a good time but it was yesterday! It took over a year of planning and fundraising thanks to COVID, but I am absolutely delighted to say that between the 14 amazing people there yesterday, we have managed to raise over €8,000 for Pieta House”.

She added, “Yesterday hit home for a lot of people as we took to the sky in memory of loved ones/friends who are no longer with us. Some of us did it for the adrenaline rush and some of us did it as a reminder that better days do come and you just have to remember that”.

Kyla, Miss Limerick 2020, pulled out of the Miss Ireland finals in protest against a rule that bans mothers from taking part in the competition. Kyla promised to continue fulfilling her engagements as Miss Limerick but not to take part in the final competition.

Kyla would like everyone who contributed to the cause. The Go Fund Me is still open for donations.

 

Kyla McGowan, Miss Limerick 2020 skydives for Pieta House

 

By I Love Limerick correspondent Mary Caroline McCarthy

Kyla McGowan skydive

Kyla McGown pictured above was crowned Miss Limerick 2020 on the Miss TLC virtual event on September 27. Picture: Paudie Bourke

 

Limerick lady Kyla McGowan, 19, is planning to do a fundraising skydive in aid of Pieta House. Kyla was crowned Miss Limerick 2020 on the Miss TLC virtual event on Facebook live on Sunday, September 27. Hailing from Newcastle West, Limerick is a law student at Trinity College Dublin and is very passionate about using her voice for those who feel like they don’t have a voice.

 

Along with being passionate about using her voice for others, Kyla is a big advocate for mental health and suicide prevention. As a part of her Beauty with a Purpose campaign for Miss Ireland, Kyla has decided to set up a charity skydive to raise some much-needed funds for Pieta House.

 

Pieta House first opened its doors in Lucan, County Dublin in 2006, and has since helped almost 60,000 people who were in suicidal distress or engaging in self-harm. There are now fifteen Pieta House centres across Ireland, as well as five outreach services and a 24-hour freephone helpline, as they employ hundreds of qualified therapists and administration staff through funding and donations alone. At an extremely uncertain time like that of today, and after the postponement of their biggest annual fundraiser ‘Darkness into Light’, Pieta House needs support more than ever, so they can continue their state-of-the-art services which are vital to helping thousands of people across Ireland. 

 

There is no doubt that the lockdown has had a massive effect on the mental health of people all over Ireland, Kyla is very aware of this and is working with Pieta to remove the stigma around mental health.

 

Kyla has set her goal as €2,000, she has already raised just over €1,000 and is confident that the people of Limerick will get behind such a worthy cause. Thirty of Kyla’s friends will also be partaking in the skydive. The date is still undecided but rest assured Kyla is looking forward to it.

 

Kyla told us, “Looking after our mental health has never been more important given the times we’re in. Life has become stressful and uncertain for many people, including our local business owners. I entered Miss Limerick because I wanted to highlight the importance of looking after our own mental health. I also wanted to show people that you can do other activities or take up other hobbies apart from going to the gym, such as reading or doing something creative like drawing or painting to mind yourself. Doing an activity like this allows you to be completely in the moment and acknowledge your feelings. Kyla McGowan skydive

 

“Pieta House is an amazing charity that does so much to help people with anxiety, depression, and other mental illnesses. It’s the main fundraising event, the “Darkness into Light” walks were cancelled this year due to Covid. I aim to raise as much money as possible for Pieta, to give back for all the literally lifesaving work they do for Irish people. As for the skydive, I wanted to do something that was a once in a lifetime opportunity. “You don’t grow when you’re comfortable,” they say and I’m definitely not comfortable with jumping out of a plane but I’m excited at the same time to tick it off the bucket list!” 

 

 

We at I Love Limerick wish Kyla well in her future endeavours.

 

To donate to Kyla’s GoFundMe, click HERE

 

For more stories on Kyla, click 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.