Mullinavat GAA Club secures €7000 through community funds

Mullinavat GAA Club have successfully applied for €7,000 in funding from the Ballymartin and Smithstown community benefit funds, which Ørsted operate, to help them with the development of a second pitch and a community walkway. 

With an Irish headquarters in Cork and operating over 21 wind farms generating 378 MW of green electricity across the island of Ireland, Ørsted is dedicated to being an active partner in the communities where it operates. For every windfarm that it operates, it has set up community benefit funds in accordance with the Wind Energy Ireland Best Practice Principles in Community Engagement & Community Commitment. 

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Ørsted has operated wind farms in Kilkenny since 2011, and through seven turbines in the area has the power to potentially generate 14.9 MW of green energy, enough to power over 20,000 homes. 

Tom Duggan, Club Secretary of Mullinavat GAA Club, commented: 

“The application process was straightforward, and we were delighted to secure €7000 to invest in our local club. Up until now, there have been no safe areas to walk as our rural location has very few footpaths, but with Ørsted’s support our new floodlit walkway has enabled adults and juveniles to exercise in a safe area throughout the year, which has facilitated our participation in the ‘Ireland Lights Up’ walking initiative.

“Meanwhile the addition of a second playing field will create greater opportunities for training and playing of G.A.A games.”

Ørsted’s community benefit funds are linked to the size of its operational assets. During 2024, a total budget of €335,000 is available for applications, including from communities near the Ballymartin and Smithstown sites. 

 Amy Ahern, who is responsible for Operations and Landowner Community Liaison at Ørsted, said: “When we invest in new green energy infrastructure, we are also investing in communities, and committing to becoming a cooperative partner in an area for the long-term. We are dedicated to being an active partner in the communities where we operate and believe in giving back to the areas in which we develop and produce renewable energy. We will consider all requests for donations or funding that we receive under our 21 community benefit funds across Ireland and Northern Ireland.”  

“Our funds are open for applications all year round and we encourage community organisations located close to our windfarms to consider how financial support from Ørsted may help your ideas come to life by getting in touch with us.”

For further information about how organisations in the area can apply for our funds, please visit Ørsted in the Community | Ørsted (orsted.ie)