SSE Airtricity presents record-breaking €227,000 Community Fund in Co. Limerick

- €1.2 million contributed since 2008 -

- 45 local groups to benefit from this year’s funding -

SSE Airtricity, Ireland’s largest provider of wind power, has handed out a record-breaking €227,000 in annual funding to community groups near its Tournafulla, Rathcahill, Dromada and Athea Wind Farms in Co. Limerick.

Through its Community Fund programme, SSE Airtricity awards annual funding to community groups close to its wind farms. This latest funding takes the company’s overall contribution in West Limerick and North Kerry to over €1.2 million since 2008.

The presentation took place at the Halla Inse Ban in Templeglantine, Co. Limerick, with a total of 45 local groups receiving funding, including schools, sports clubs and community organisations.

Helen Broderick, Chairperson of the Tournafulla Sustainable Living group in Co. Limerick, said: “In 2013, we conducted a survey about local needs and we discovered that the community was in favour of setting up a café. The village has no shops or post office, all having closed during the recession. Tournafulla GAA club have agreed to let us use their space, and the funding from SSE Airtricity will allow us to install a commercial kitchen, which will be a major boost for the community.”

St. Oliver’s National School in Ballylongford, Co. Kerry, will be using this year’s funding to install energy-efficient LED lighting at the school. Elaine Sweeney, the school’s principal said: “We’re delighted with the funding from SSE Airtricity, which will enable us to replace the inefficient lights at the school, which are now 25 years old. The new LED fittings will bring significant energy savings and reduce our bills at the school.”

Other projects being supported range from installing a rainwater-harvesting system at Abbeyfeale United FC, to insulating the attic at St. Brigid’s National School in Duagh. The majority of this year’s recipients are putting the funding towards improving their energy efficiency, which SSE Airtricity strongly supports.

Anne Reynolds, SSE Airtricity Community Development Officer, said: “We’re delighted to once again be awarding funding to so many forward-thinking community projects. This year, we’re contributing a record amount, with over €227,000 going to 45 local groups. At SSE Airtricity, we’re committed to bringing positive energy to the communities closest to our wind farms, and we’re proud to have contributed over €1.2 million to groups in West Limerick and North Kerry to date.

“As always, it’s fantastic to see so much of the money going towards projects that improve energy efficiency, which helps reduce heating bills and ultimately leads to a greener and more sustainable environment for the whole community.”

SSE Airtricity’s Tournafulla, Rathcahill, Dromada and Athea Wind Farms in West Limerick have a combined capacity of over 100MW and are capable of powering over 50,000 homes in the region.

Full list of groups being supported:

The following groups in West Limerick and North Kerry received funding from this year’s SSE Airtricity Community Fund for a variety of energy efficient and sustainable projects.