COMMUNITY CLIMATE ACTION, PUTTING THE FUTURE FIRST, ON AND OFF THE PITCH
Updated January 16th, 2026
By Morgan Pierce
The SolarSmart team was pitch side in December for the big reveal as Fingallians GAA Club in Swords showed off their community solar installation that marks an important milestone. Ireland has reached 1 GW capacity of installed rooftop solar.
Our engineers did Trojan work in the final weeks of 2025 to ensure that the 120 panels were safely installed on the clubhouse roof and ready to help the club reduce its carbon footprint and save money in 2026.
The system will generate more than 51,000 kWh of renewable energy, with peak output during the summers months.
Generating electricity with clean, green solar also means the club avoids producing more than 18 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually. That’s equivalent to 533,000 km of car travel, 382 long-haul flights avoided, or the planting of 3,400 trees.
On its Instagram page, the club described the solar initiative as “a statement project for Fingallians, demonstrating our commitment to community climate action and long-term sustainability.”
Founded in 1884, Fingallians is one of the nation’s oldest GAA clubs. It fields more than 100 teams, 80 of them for children and teenagers. In a moving statement, Club chairman Charlie Rogan spoke of the importance of inclusiveness to the GAA community and the necessity of keeping costs down to eliminate financial barriers to membership.
Acknowledging his young members interest in climate change and the environment, Rogan said wryly, “these panels will probably outlive me, but they’ll be getting the benefit of them in a number of years’ time”. The solar system we installed at Fingallians will serve the club well for the next 25 years, and will earn back its investment in five years’ time.
It is true that 120 solar panels are a sizeable financial investment, but the Fingallians discovered there was substantial grant aid available.
The Sustainable Energy Authority (SEAI)’s “Community Energy Grant” has helped numerous clubs upgrade their facilities, improve their energy efficiency and transition to renewable sources of electricity. Even on major projects exceeding €100,000, SEAI grant aid can cover as much as 50% of the cost. The SEAI leaflet here provides an introduction to the grants available and is something club leaders can share with their members.
Community Climate Action Fund Supports Solar
The GAA has also designed its own “Green Club Toolkit” to support clubs in implementing simple and effective sustainability actions. The Toolkit is divided into five themes – Energy, Water, Waste, Biodiversity and Travel & Transport – and contains practical advice and guidance tailored to GAA clubs.
The Fingallians also benefited from a generous grant from Fingal County Council’s Climate Action Fund.
Fingal’s Fund was administered as part of the Community Climate Action Fund (CCAF), an Irish government initiative supporting local, grassroots projects for low-carbon, sustainable communities. Administered via local authorities, CCAF funds community-led projects in amounts up to €100,000. Although applications for funding for Phase 1 and Phase 2 of CCAF are now closed, further funding rounds are envisioned. We recommend that community groups interested in funding for sustainability initiatives contact their local County Council’s Community Climate Action Office.
Thanks to the financial support it received from the SEAI and Fingal’s Community Climate Action Fund, the Fingallians got the net cost of their 120 panel solar installation down to €30,000, raised through a regular effort in the Swords community – including a weekly Lotto and Bingo nights. (Just the kind of fundraising tools most GAA teams use already…)
Sharing the 1 GW rooftop solar milestone with the Fingallians, and with our colleagues from Solar Ireland and the SEAI, was special. It capped a year of progress for solar power in Ireland and for the SolarSmart team.
As Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O’Brien said on the day, “This progress shows exactly why continued support through SEAI grants and targeted investment in small-scale and community renewables is so important. When Government, system operators and the industry work together, we can deliver real change on the ground.”
No GAA player in the country is content to rest on last year’s success. At SolarSmart, we don’t rest on our laurels either. If you want help with your own club or community group’s climate action or sustainability journey, give us a call.
Why Choose Solar In Ireland?
Investing in a solar panel systems in Ireland can bring many benefits, including reduced energy bills, increased energy independence, and a reduced carbon footprint. If you are interested in installing a solar panel system in Ireland, it is also worth exploring the different grant options and green business loans available and seeking professional advice from one of our solar energy advisors.
Feel free to contact us for more information, we’re here to help.
