GAA clubs around the country are benefiting from warmer, more comfortable facilities, better lighting, reduced energy bills and a lower carbon footprint.

The SEAI Community Energy Grant supports energy efficiency community projects through capital funding, partnerships, and technical support.

Here are three GAA clubs that have received SEAI Community Energy Grants to upgrade their facilities. Read about their energy efficiency projects.

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Kildangan GAA Club, Puckane, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary

Kildangan GAA Club is based in Tipperary in the village of Puckane and includes the areas of Ballycommon, Carney, Monsea and Dromineer, near the town of Nenagh. The club plays hurling.

The club’s management decided to investigate how they could reduce their energy use and ultimately their bills. They worked with a local project coordinator, to apply for the grant on their behalf for pitch lighting.

The club upgraded their pitch lights by switching them to LEDs. This has so far saved them €1,577 in electricity costs and reduced their carbon emissions by 3565kg.

The project cost approximately €30,000 and the club received 50% grant approval towards that.

Key results

  • €1,577

    Electricity savings

  • 3,565kg

    CO2 saved

  • 50%

    Grant approval

O’Loughlin Gaels GAA Club, Hebron Road, Co. Kilkenny

O'Loughlin Gaels GAA Club is based in Kilkenny and represents St John's Parish, Johnswell, Dunmore and Kilkenny City East. It supports teams of all ages in hurling, camogie, and handball.

The club had long planned to upgrade its clubhouse and pitch facilities. After a meeting with a SEAI project coordinator, they decided to:

  • Upgrade their pitch lighting to LEDs
  • Install attic insulation in the clubhouse
  • Install heating controls so they can time the heating to come on in certain rooms.

These changes have so far yielded:

  • €2501 in electricity savings
  • €389 in heating savings
  • 5,075 kg in CO2 reduction

The project cost approximately €75,000 and the club received 50% grant approval.

Key results

  • €2,501

    Electricity savings

  • €389

    Heating savings

  • 5,075kg

    CO2 reduction

Drumree GAA Club, Knockmark, Drumree, Co. Meath

Drumree GAA are based in County Meath and play Gaelic Games in the Culmullen and Dunshaughlin parishes. The club has camogie and hurling teams.

Drumree GAA was interested in both improving their facilities and lowering energy bills and carbon emissions. Their local project coordinator carried out an audit and made recommendations based on that.

For the Drumree project, the club management chose to:

  • Upgrade pitch lighting to LEDs
  • Install attic insulation
  • Install solar PV panels

These actions yielded the following results:

  • €1,577 in electricity savings
  • €892 in renewable energy savings
  • 3,924kg in CO2 reduction

The project cost approximately €110,000 and the club received 50% of that in grant support from SEAI.

Key results

  • €1,577

    Electricity savings

  • €892

    Renewable energy savings

  • 3,924kg

    CO2 reduction
“The GAA is delighted to collaborate with SEAI as our expert energy partner for the GAA Green Clubs Programme. Managing energy use is essential to the successful promotion of Gaelic games and the sustainable operation of our GAA, LGFA and Camogie Clubs as they continue to invest in facility upgrades and floodlighting.”
Jimmy Darcy, Youth Leadership and Sustainability Manager, GAA

These three clubs have committed to improving their facilities for all of their members and can now invest the energy savings back into the club and its players.

Read more about how GAA clubs are saving energy