Health Minister to turn sod on Sunflower Children’s Hospice in Mayo
€20 million project will provide specialist care for children with life-limiting conditions across eight counties in Castlebar
The Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD, will turn the sod on the Sunflower Children’s Hospice in Castlebar on Friday, November 13, marking a major milestone in the development of Ireland’s first children’s hospice outside Dublin.
Developed by Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation, the €20 million facility will provide specialist paediatric palliative care for children with life-limiting conditions and support for their families across eight counties along the western seaboard, from Donegal to Limerick.
Construction is expected to begin in January 2027, with the hospice scheduled to open to patients in 2029.
Since the project was unveiled in November 2025, the foundation has raised €9 million towards the development through community and corporate fundraising, donations and local initiatives. A further €11 million is needed to complete the project, and fundraising efforts are continuing.
The 36,000 sq ft facility has been designed in consultation with healthcare professionals families who will use the service, to ensure it meets the practical and therapeutic needs of children and their loved ones.
Feedback from families has helped shape several features of the building, including a canopy over the main entrance, a shower immediately inside the front door and a hydrotherapy pool.
The hospice will include eight en-suite bedrooms with access to private gardens or patios, four family accommodation suites, sensory rooms and gardens, dedicated spaces for children and young adults, teaching and education facilities, and quiet rooms for reflection.
The sod-turning ceremony will take place at 9am on Friday, November 13, at the hospice site on Moneen Road in Castlebar.
Minister for Social Protection and Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht Dara Calleary TD will also attend, alongside Martina Jennings, chief executive of Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation. The event will be hosted by MC Laurita Blewitt.
The project is expected to provide a dedicated service for families who may otherwise have to travel long distances to access specialist children’s palliative care.
Further information about the Sunflower Children’s Hospice and ongoing fundraising is available from the official Sunflower Children’s Hospice website.