North Mayo residents rally to oppose Cooneal windfarm plan

OVER 100 people attended a public meeting in Moygownagh Community Centre to oppose a proposed windfarm in the Cooneal and Ballymackehola area of north Mayo.

Speakers said they had received little information about the project.

Dave Alexander told the meeting it was organised by concerned residents and is not affiliated with the applicants. He thanked those who put up posters and used social media, saying nobody would otherwise have known about the proposal.

The project is being promoted under the name Cooneal Community Windfarm.

A submission to Mayo County Council on its draft Renewable Energy Strategy, lodged by MKO Ireland and prepared by Jennings O’Donovan & Partners, describes a scheme of up to 60 MW from 14 turbines, with 50 MW of battery storage.

The submission says the developer has engaged with the council since 2019.

It states that most of the turbines were in a “Tier 1 – Preferred” area under the 2011 strategy, but that the draft strategy now classes the site as “Unsuitable”.

It argues that such policy changes risk undermining projects with long development timelines, and that the scheme would support national climate targets.

At the meeting, Mr Alexander said the only material residents had seen was a proposed map.

Landowner Sean Clarke told the meeting he was approached in February by individuals about acquiring part of his land for a substation and battery storage in connection with the proposal.

He said he later sent questions by email and did not receive a reply.

He said his last conversation with one of the men was in July, when he was told answers would become clear as the project progressed.

He also questioned the use of the word “community” in the project’s name.

Teresa Fagan, of the Lacken group that campaigned against a separate windfarm proposal, said 104 turbines could be built in north Mayo if all current applications are approved.

She criticised what she described as a lack of transparency in the planning process, but urged residents to remain respectful, noting that people on different sides of the issue are neighbours.

Deputy Rose Conway Walsh told residents they were not on their own and urged them to form a committee that night.

Senator Mark Duffy said the proposal raised more questions than answers, and that the county’s zoning map would be important in opposing it.

Cllr Jarlath Munnelly said it could take about a year to reach a planning application.

He urged everyone to make a submission when one is advertised.

Cllr Gerry Coyle, who proposed the new county plan that sees areas like Cooneal restricted from windfarm developments, also backed the campaign.