Nearly €200,000 has been donated to community groups close to SSE Airtricity's wind farms in west Limerick.

It is SSE Airtricity's largest ever Community Fund payout in Ireland.

A total of 30 local groups will benefit from the funding of over €197,000, including schools, sports clubs and community centres.

Through its Community Fund scheme, SSE Airtricity makes annual payments to communities close to its wind farms. The company has been donating to local projects in West Limerick since 2008 and this latest presentation takes its overall contribution to over €750,000.

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Athea National School will be putting the money towards improving heating efficiency in their new building. School principal Margaret Watters said: "This year's project involves lowering the ceilings in three of our classrooms and improving insulation all round. This will make the classrooms much easier and cheaper to heat. The funding from SSE Airtricity is greatly appreciated and it ultimately allows us to make great savings on our energy bills."

Tournafulla GAA Club will use the funds to replace the roof of their clubhouse and insulate the attic.

Many of the community groups are putting this latest funding towards greater energy efficiency.

(CD/IT)