Ørsted in the community

Tigh Maighne community coffee shop
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Moyne, Co. Tipperary
Lisheen Wind Farm

Moyne in Co. Tipperary is a village that – like many – had been left with no shop, post office or community facility locally. A voluntary group set out to transform an unused building, formerly a health centre, into a community cafe and shop. Tigh Maighne came to fruition in 2022, with the help of some funding via the Ørsted Community Benefit Fund.

"The aspiration was to create a hub for the community and to create support for one another," said chairman of the group, Dominic Everard. "We were very grateful to receive the Ørsted funding as we are fully volunteer-led so that support was vital to us. Everything we take in is put back into Tigh Maighne and anything beyond that is fed back into the community."

Glenflesk NS
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Co. Kerry
Kilgarvan Wind Farm

A rural two-teacher primary school in Co. Kerry, Glenflesk NS has undergone a makeover in recent years thanks to a government-funded exntension to meet the needs of their pupils. While the bricks and mortar went up, funding dried up when it came to kitting out the room to support the children's learning. The dedicated school staff came together to apply for funding via the Ørsted Community Benefit Fund and in December 2024, they were informed they had been successful.

"We were elated to learn that the school had been awarded €4000," said Lorraine Brosnan, Special Education Teacher at Glenflesk NS.
"Certainly a welcome Christmas present in our area! With this we have invested in a suite of laptops for the SET room and have subscribed to some online specialised programmes to aid pupils with dyslexia.
"We have also acquired maths equipment to support the new primary maths curriculum which has just been rolled out nationally. We have invested in resources to help boost literacy levels such as games & readers. We are now also looking to invest in some playground equipment that the pupils can enjoy.
"To say we are grateful for the financial help is an understatement. As teachers we are continually looking for ways to enhance the learning experience for our pupils,& this has certainly helped us to that end."

Mountcollins AFC
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Co. Limerick
Knocknawarriga Wind Farm

Mountcollins is a small village in the west of Co. Limerick – uniquely situated where three counties meet, just 100 metres from the Co. Kerry border and a mile from Co. Cork. Situated among the hills just outside the village is Mountcollins AFC, a soccer club founded in 2003.

Starting from scratch meant the club's committee had their work cut out from them – but their facilities have grown, and they have been able to secure the purchase of a robot lawnmower for their club, as well as part - fund lighting, thanks to funding from Ørsted's Community Benefit Fund. The club has become strongly associated with the neighbouring Knockawarriga Wind Farm.

"It's only in the last three years that we have really been able to develop," said Mike McCarthy, club treasurer. "I designed our crest myself and I actually felt, because we are right beside the wind farm, why not put in the wind turbine as well."

Tyrone Dippers
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Co. Tyrone
Owenreagh Wind Farm

Being an inland county, Tyrone has no coastline but that doesn't stop the Tyrone Dippers from finding water for their weekly dips; be it a beach in Donegal or a local lake. The idea is simple: those who get involved show up in their togs and make their way into the water for a refreshing dip and afterwards, the group sits around and has a chat.

The group, set up by Siobhán Doherty and Angie Porter McHugh, also holds regular fundraisers, and availed of the Ørsted Community Benefit Fund to provide medals, tea and buns at a recent fundraiser in aid of cancer, attended by country music star Hugo Duncan.

"Our only rule is leave all your worries behind on the land once you enter the water," said Siobhán. "It was amazing to be able to use the Ørsted funding not only for our own charity day, but also to fund a relaxation day for anyone who needs to forget about the daily challenges of life for a while, when we went to Gortin Glen for a dip in the water and to use their local sauna. We are there for anyone who needs us, and this funding allowed us to do that."

Spraoi agus Sport

Based in Cardonagh on the beautiful Inishowen Peninsula in Co. Donegal, Spraoi agus Sport is an award-winning social enterprise that provides services and activities for young families, children and those that are inclusive of disability and/or autism.

Across three years, Spraoi agus Sport received €60,000 in funding from Ørsted.

"This funding was critical in enabling us to access the Rethink Ireland Growth Fund Programme which invests in best-in-class social enterprises," said CEO Helen Nolan.

"We are delighted that Ørsted believes in the power of our work. This
funding will empower us to reach deeper into our community, scaling up our
successful social enterprise model for broader impact."

Scoil Chúil Aodha

On the Cork-Kerry border, near Inchincoosh Wind Farm is Scoil Chúil Aodha. Using funding supplied by Ørsted's Community Benefit Fund, the school board was able to complete a new state-of-the-art 875m² astro turf playing field.

"This is used by school children, local clubs and many members of our community," the school board said.

"As this is the only such facility in the area, it is used by hundreds of children and adults each week. The pitch has a high-quality FIFA standard surface which will be a much needed sport and recreation space for many years to come. We are grateful to Ørsted for the support from the Inchincoosh Community Benefit Fund. Without it, this wonderful project would not have been possible."

Clann na nGael Sports Hall

Clann na nGael GAA Club in Co. Tyrone, like many GAA clubs nationwide, offers its impressive facilities to the community for use when needed. They have invested heavily in the sports hall in recent years, and have even taken the innovative step to install solar PV panels and a storage bank that will harness and store excess electricity to heat the hall, thanks to funding received from Ørsted.

"Without Ørsted’s support from the Owenreagh Community Benefit Fund, we wouldn’t have been able to progress this project," the club's committee said.

"Local community groups, including Kerlin School of Dancing, CNG Running club and the St. Patrick Primary School, as well as a range of other groups and individuals will now be able to get back to offering their services and events for the local community. The area suffers from limited access to services and to get this hall back up and running, where people can come together again and take part in events, is so important for the local area."

NOVAS
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Co. Tipperary
Lisheen Wind Farm

NOVAS is a voluntary organisation that works with people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The organisation is also an Approved Housing Body that provides social housing for low-income adults and families throughout Ireland.

In 2024, NOVAS was granted €10,000 in Community Benefit Funding from Ørsted, to help furnish emergency accommodation in Thurles, for those experiencing homelessness.

The Ørsted Community Benefit Fund has made a massive impact to NOVAS’s work in Tipperary," said Jackie Leonard, Head of Fundraising with the charity.
"Where people live and the environment that people live in is so important to someone’s wellbeing. With the funding we received we painted communal areas, upgraded the back garden with new paving, furniture, flowers and planting, purchased new furniture and soft furnishings, and make our spaces more welcoming in general.
"Investing in this particularly vulnerable cohort is important as our clients are healthier, happier, and have a better day to day quality of life."

Mullinavat GAA
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Co. Kilkenny
Ballymartin Wind Farm

In the south of Co. Kilkenny is Mullinavat GAA Club – a proud rural club that boasts seven Kilkenny Senior Club Football Championships and four Kilkenny Senior Club Camogie Championships, among other achievements. Like many clubs, Mullinavat GAA is the heart of the community. In 2023, the club secured funding under Ørsted's Community Benefit Fund to help bring a community walkway around their pitch to fruition. The project has been a success – so much so, that RTÉ Operation Transformation came out to film there.

"Visitors to Mullinavat GAA have seen a major transformation in the club's facilities in recent years," said Tom Duggan of the club's committee. "Thanks to our hardworking committee, and support from local community, we have completely transformed our grounds, including a floodlit tarmacadam walkway that is proving to be extremely popular with walkers of all ages. This part of the project was recently featured on RTÉ's Operation Transformation programme. The support received from Orsted has been extremely helpful to the Club and we are extremely grateful for it."