Almost €1 million now handed out by SSE Airtricity to community groups in County Cork
14 Oct 2015
SSE Airtricity, Ireland’s largest provider of wind power, has now presented almost one million euro to community projects around its Coomacheo, Curragh and Coomatallin Wind Farms in County Cork.
This week the company presented more than €116,000 to community groups in the vicinity of its Coomacheo and Curragh Wind Farms in North Cork and over €10,000 to those close to its Coomatallin Wind Farm in the west of the county. The presentations took place at Scoil Abán Naofa in Ballyvourney on Monday 12 October and the Dunmanway Family Resource Centre on Tuesday 13 October respectively.
Through its Community Fund programme, SSE Airtricity makes annual contributions to energy efficiency and sustainability projects for community groups based close to its wind farms.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Coomatallin Community Fund, with more than €125,000 donated so far. Meanwhile, this latest round of funding brings the total contribution from the Coomacheo and Curragh Community Fund to over €815,000.
A combined 25 local groups will benefit from the two Community Funds this year, including schools, sports clubs and community associations.
The Coiste Halla in Ballyvourney will use this year’s funding to continue its programme of energy efficiency upgrades at the community hall. Conchur O’Luasa, secretary of the Coiste Halla, said: “We’re delighted to once again receive funding from the SSE Airtricity Coomacheo and Curragh Community Fund. This year’s contribution will allow us to fit new triple-glazed windows, which will make the community hall more comfortable for everyone in the area.”
The Dunmanway Resource Centre, which has received funding for the fourth consecutive year, will use the funds to install a gravity-flow rainwater-harvesting system for the community garden. The Centre will also install a commercial ‘Pig Composter’ to provide recycling of household waste for up to 25 homes.
Other projects being supported range from improving the external wall insulation at Carriganima National School, to installing a rainwater-harvesting system and composter at Reenascreena Community Playschool.
Anne Reynolds, Community Development Officer at SSE Airtricity, said: “We’re delighted to be helping so many forward-thinking local groups with this year’s Community Fund payouts in County Cork. We remain committed to bringing positive energy to the communities closest to our wind farms. It’s once again great to see so much of the money going towards improvements in energy efficiency, which is something we’re always promoting at SSE Airtricity. We’re pleased that in celebrating the 10th anniversary of our Coomatallin Community Fund, we’ve been able to bring our total funding in the area to over €125,000. Meanwhile, this year’s fund from our Coomacheo and Curragh Wind Farms is helping 22 local groups that form the rich fabric of the community.”
SSE Airtricity’s Coomacheo, Curragh and Coomatallin Wind Farms have a combined capacity of around 66MW and produce enough green energy to power nearly 34,000 homes in County Cork.