Galway Wind Park Major Projects Fund awards €300,000 to community projects

SSE and Greencoat Renewables, co-owners of Galway Wind Park, have announced that five community-led projects, located within 10km of the wind farm, have been selected to receive a combined €300,000 through the 2026 Galway Wind Park Major Projects Fund.

The funded projects showcase the ambition of communities around Galway Wind Park to drive transformational change, with initiatives spanning accessibility, community facilities, environmental stewardship, wellbeing and local search and rescue. Together, these projects will deliver lasting social, environmental and community benefits, strengthening inclusion, resilience and quality of life across the region.

Among the projects selected are a new accessible community walkway in Moycullen, awarded over €128,000, and a Connemara Eco Hub promoting green skills and circular economy initiatives, which received €55,000. The fund will also support upgraded lifesaving equipment for the volunteer rescue crew on Lough Corrib, improvements to community and sports facilities, and portable sensory equipment to enhance wellbeing and inclusion.

Robert Wilkes, Treasurer, Corrib Mask Search & Rescue, said:

“Corrib Mask Search & Rescue are delighted to be a recipient of an award from the Galway Wind Park Major project funds. Our voluntary group provide a full-time lifeboat service on Lough Corrib. Our crew respond to incidents on the water in all weathers and conditions. Keeping our crew safe is of paramount importance to us. Modern state-of-the-art safety equipment is essential, but difficult for a voluntary group to buy and maintain. The grant from Galway Wind Park will allow us to upgrade the equipment for our staff to the best available gear. This grant helps ensure we keep the service running and our crew safe at all times.”

Sinead Grimes, Project Manager, The Dúlra Project, FORUM Connemara CLG, said:

“This support from the Galway Wind Park Major Projects Fund allows us to turn the Connemara Eco Hub from an idea into action. It will help us build green skills locally and test practical circular solutions using invasive species and underused natural materials, creating wider community benefit while supporting local employment and future opportunities”

Jacqueline Durnin, Community Investment Manager at SSE, said:

“Through the Galway Wind Park Major Projects Fund, we are proud to support communities in delivering transformational projects that will have a lasting positive impact. This year’s successful projects demonstrate the ambition, creativity and commitment of local communities, with initiatives that will strengthen inclusion, sustainability, wellbeing and resilience for years to come.”

David Dunne, Asset Manager for Greencoat Renewables said:

“The Galway Wind Park Major Projects Fund supports ambitious, community-led initiatives that create long-term local value. Alongside the annual Galway Wind Park Community Fund and Galway Wind Park Scholarship Programme, it forms part of Galway Wind Park’s wider commitment to empowering communities for the green transition by supporting sustainability, resilience, equity and learning.”

Since the Major Projects Fund launched in 2018, €1.2 million has now been awarded to support communities in delivering transformational projects that might otherwise not be possible, helping to create lasting social, environmental and economic benefits across the region.

To date, investment from the Major Projects Fund, Community Fund and Scholarship Programme means Galway Wind Park’s total community investment in the region has reached €3.6 million.