Crowds of Irish expats and their friends gathered at a North London hotel in the early hours of Saturday morning as part of the growing international support among the Irish diaspora for Pieta House’s Darkness Into Light walk, an annual event helping to raise awareness about mental health and suicide prevention.

“Banners of Hope” were spread across the London venue. The personal dedications inscribed on them highlight the importance of removing the stigma associated with mental health issues. So many people there had lost children, parents, friends, and relatives to a devastating illness that breaks hearts and perplexes those left behind.

This was the second walk organised in London by Tara Cronin, just one of 16 which took place outside Ireland this year. More than 600 people walked in London alone. For many of the expats, the event highlighted an alternative perspective on mental wellbeing: the emotional challenges associated with emigration.

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After the initial thrill of moving to a new country subsides, many feel overwhelmed at the sheer magnitude of starting a new life. You can feel dislocated from your support network and isolated within an alien place where it can feel like no one truly cares about you.

Crosscare Migrant Project surveyed 500 emigrants last year on the topic of mental health, and 64 per cent admitted their emigration experience was harder than they anticipated.

The Government recently published its first ever diaspora policy with mental wellbeing at the heart of it. Ambassador of Ireland to Great Britain, Dan Mulhall, described the policy's intentions: "We have a responsibility towards people who left Ireland. The diaspora policy is a new recognition of the importance of diaspora issues and a new desire to support them."

London's Darkness Into Light event supports both Pieta House and ICAP (Immigrant Counselling and Psychotherapy), an Irish charity based in the UK that offers culturally sensitive counselling for immigrants in the Irish community and other communities.

Clodagh NicLoughlainn, who flew to London for the walk to support her friends here, said the intensity of emigration is often overlooked: “The expectation at the minute is that emigration is the easy option to get out (of Ireland)but people really underestimate how much you have to work in London or Perth or Sydney or wherever it is (you emigrated to).

“There’s an expectation that you go, you emigrate and you get a really good job. So it’s seen as failure if you come back. For people who are struggling abroad ICAP is really good at supporting them.”

Sheila Hegarty, ICAP therapist, explains the pressures to succeed often felt by expats: “It can be hard to talk about what you feel. People often leave to make something of themselves and it’s often quite hard to say that actually, it’s difficult here.”

Some of the Irish present pointed out that the very act of taking part in an event like this helps alleviate subtle loneliness.

For the lonely, social media can be a double-edged sword; you are in contact with everyone but see nobody. Yet over the weekend, as Twitter feeds and Facebook walls lit up with photos of yellow Pieta House t-shirts, the global Irish network felt smaller and closer.

Roisin Fitzmaurice, who ran the route, described how heartening it is to see friends and family across the world unify in the walk: “Everyone can still be connected (by the event). We’re in different countries but we’re all rooting for the same thing and trying to raise awareness.”

The positive message went out to anyone who feels alone - you can talk to us. No matter where in the world you are, no one should feel isolated.