Big turnout at public meeting where opposition to East Galway wind farms outlined

Ruth Cormican, member of the Coxtown Protection Committee, speaking at a packed public meeting in Killalaghton Hall last Sunday | Coxtown Protection Committee

placeholder image — Ruth Cormican, member of the Coxtown Protection Committee, speaking at a packed public meeting in Killalaghton Hall last Sunday | Coxtown Protection Committee

A crowd of up to 160 gathered in East Galway last Sunday where concerns about plans to build wind farms in the community were voiced.

The recently formed Coxtown Protection Committee held a meeting in Killalaghton Hall to inform the community about proposals for a six-turbine wind farm near Kiltormer, Mullagh and Cappataggle.

The group’s members are also concerned about plans for another wind farm proposed near Gurtymadden and Killimor, and are on alert for the possibility of more large turbines coming down the track on land near Aughrim.

Enerco Energy Limited is planning to build the proposed Coxtown Renewable Energy Development.

A planning application for the development planned for the parishes of Coxtown and Killoran is expected to be lodged with Galway County Council before the end of this year.

The community meeting, attended by Galway East TD Louis O’Hara, heard that the company was planning to install six 180-metre-high wind turbines in the local area.

Inside the community hall were posters and slides showing the scale of the proposed turbines that would tower over well-known landmarks such as Croke Park, Big Ben, Statue of Liberty and Dublin’s Spire.

Chairman of the committee Francis Hardiman outlined six main areas of concern to the community. These included health, noise, shadow flicker, impacts on future land use, reduced property values and harm to the ecology of the area.

The company was planning a ‘community gain’ aspect to the proposal but Mr Hardiman summarised the feeling of the committee.

“This is not a partnership. It is the extraction of value from one community for the benefit of another party,” he told the meeting.

Speakers from Tuam, Clonberne and Cloghan in Offaly also addressed the meeting, outlining their concerns about similar proposals in their areas.

Ruth Cormican, a committee member, encouraged people to join Coxtown Protection Committee to stand together against the proposed development.

She assured the residents that experts have been engaged to support the campaign, and confirmed that there will be more public meetings in the coming weeks and months.