SSE community funds open to local groups in West Limerick and North Kerry

_{Volunteer Mary Donavan lends a hand with the on-site biodiversity initiative, part of the community’s sustainability efforts supported by SSE Renewables.}

SSE is now accepting applications for its 2025 Community Benefit Funds linked to its wind farms in West Limerick and North Kerry. Local community groups are invited to apply for funding to support community-led initiatives that drive positive change.

Applications are now open online until Friday, 5 December 2025. The funds support community-based projects located within a 20km radius of SSE Renewables’ Athea, Dromada, Rathcahill and Tournafulla wind farms in Co. Limerick, as well as Lenamore Wind Farm in Co. Kerry. Preference is given to projects within 5km of the wind farms.

More than €270,000 is available this year to support community projects in West Limerick and North Kerry. This total will be divided between two funding streams: the established Local Community Fund and a newly introduced Major Projects Fund.

The Local Community Fund continues to support community projects that address local challenges through innovative solutions aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Funding is available for initiatives that focus on community development, energy efficiency, climate action or enhance safety.

New for 2025, SSE Renewables is introducing a Major Projects Fund in the region. This new strand of funding is designed to support larger-scale, transformational community initiatives in West Limerick and North Kerry. It aims to empower communities to lead initiatives that deliver lasting, positive change - socially, environmentally, and culturally - while strengthening the resilience of the organisations delivering them.

Since 2008, SSE Renewables, has invested over €2.8 million in local projects near its wind farms in West Limerick and North Kerry. With this year’s funding, the total contribution will exceed €3 million, marking a significant milestone in the company’s long-term commitment to community development.

One recent example of the fund’s impact is Fáilte Isteach Gach Duine Moyvane, a community organisation, which was awarded a total of €30,000 over four years to refurbish a former Garda Station in Moyvane, Co. Kerry. The newly reimagined space now serves as a community centre where people of all ages and backgrounds can come together. It boasts a café, meeting rooms and men’s shed, and is used for educational courses, exhibitions, and events, offering a vital resource for connection, creativity, and lifelong learning. Fáilte Isteach Gach Duine has been nominated for a Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Award for the project. The awards will be presented on Thursday, 27th November in Dublin.

Highlighting the fund’s impact, Paddy Muluihill, Chairperson of Fáilte Isteach Gach Duine Moyvane CLG, said:

“Receiving support from SSE Renewables has been transformative for our organisation. We haven’t just restored a building - we’ve fostered a greater sense of community. This hub is helping to give Moyvane a heart again: a place to gather, to learn, to laugh, to work together. It’s a space for connection and shared purpose, today and into the future.”

Encouraging local groups to apply, Jacqueline Durnin, Community Investment Manager at SSE Renewables, said:

"We’re proud to continue supporting communities in West Limerick and North Kerry through our Community Benefit Funds. This year, with the introduction of a Major Projects Fund, we’re expanding our commitment to help deliver larger-scale initiatives that create lasting impact. Having now invested over €3 million in the region, we believe in the power of local organisations to lead meaningful change, and we’re excited to see the innovative projects that emerge from this year’s funding round."

For more information or to apply, visit: sserenewables.com/LimerickFund and sserenewables.com/KerryFund

Prospective applicants can also contact the Community Investment Manager via email: communityfundireland@sse.com