Sod turned on Mayo’s €20m Sunflower Children’s Hospice

A major milestone has been reached in the development of the Sunflower Children’s Hospice in Castlebar, with the sod officially turned on the €20 million project.

Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary attended the ceremony, marking a significant step towards providing specialist paediatric palliative care for children and families across the western seaboard.

The hospice, being developed by Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation, will be the first children’s hospice to be built outside Dublin. It will provide dedicated care and support for children with life-limiting conditions and their families, closer to home.

The sod-turning follows the granting of planning permission last month. Construction is expected to begin in January 2027, with the facility scheduled to open to patients in 2029.

Since the plans were first unveiled in November 2025, the foundation has raised €9 million towards the €20 million development through community and corporate fundraising, donor support and local initiatives. A further €11 million is needed, and fundraising efforts are continuing.

Minister Carroll MacNeill said the hospice would make a significant difference to families facing incredibly difficult circumstances.

Recalling her attendance at the project launch last year, she said she had met Chuck and Mairead Dunford, who shared the story of their son Kevin and described a hospice in the West as “transformative”.

“From Donegal to Limerick, families need access to these vital services, and for many, that need is urgent. The Sunflower Children’s Hospice will provide a place where children and their families can receive the care, comfort and support they deserve during incredibly difficult times,” she said.

The Minister for Health also praised Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation chief executive Martina Jennings and her team for the progress made in bringing the project to this stage.

Minister Calleary described the sod-turning as a special day for families across the western seaboard, including Donegal, Mayo, Roscommon, Leitrim and Limerick.

He said families who needed the service would no longer be limited by where they lived, adding that every child should have access to appropriate care and support regardless of their address.

“Those who, unfortunately, find themselves in need of the service will no longer be confined by their eircode,” he said. “Every child and family deserves access to the care and support they need, regardless of where they live, and this is an important step towards ensuring that families across the region can access these vital services closer to home.”

Minister Calleary also highlighted the involvement of families and clinicians in the design process, saying their contributions would help ensure the hospice reflected the needs of those who would use it.

Ms Jennings and foundation chair Paul Foxe said the milestone brought the project a step closer to creating a dedicated facility where children with life-limiting conditions and their families could receive specialist care and spend precious time together.

They thanked Mayo County Council and its elected members for their support during the planning process, as well as the Department of Health, the HSE and regional representatives who had helped advance the development.

They also acknowledged the generosity of communities, businesses and donors who had contributed to the €9 million raised so far, while appealing for continued support to meet the remaining fundraising target.

Sunflower Children’s Hospice ambassadors and former Mayo footballers Andy Moran and Aidan O’Shea also attended the ceremony and reaffirmed their support for the project.

They said they were proud to be associated with a “meaningful project that will make a real difference in the lives of children with life-limiting illnesses and their families.”

Purpose-built facility

The 36,000 sq. ft. hospice has been designed following workshops with families and clinicians, ensuring that the needs and experiences of children and their families help shape the facility.

The development will include eight en-suite bedrooms, each with access to a private garden or patio, alongside four family accommodation suites.

Feedback has informed a number of practical and therapeutic features, including a canopy over the main entrance, a shower immediately inside the front door and a hydrotherapy pool.

Other facilities will include sensory rooms and gardens, dedicated spaces for children and young adults, teaching and education facilities, and reflection and quiet rooms.

Once completed, the Sunflower Children’s Hospice will provide a dedicated paediatric palliative care service for families across the west and north west, reducing the need to travel long distances to access specialist support.

Further information about the project and ongoing fundraising is available from the Sunflower Children’s Hospice website.