Once quiet and scenic, the communities of Seskin, Sleaty, and Durrow are now at the centre of a growing storm over a proposed wind farm project. Local residents say they were blindsided just months ago by plans to build eight “mega turbines”, stretching from Ballyragget to Durrow.
Each turbine is expected to reach 576 feet (around 175 metres)—equivalent to a 50-storey building—with blades spanning 150 metres, longer than the pitch at Croke Park.
“We’re not against green energy,” said Walter Foyle, spokesperson for the No to Seskin Wind Farm group. “But these are mega turbines—and they’ve really roiled the communities.”
The group only learned of the plans three months ago. Now, with formal planning applications expected within days, they say the clock is ticking. Once submitted, residents will have just five weeks to respond to documents that could run between 10,000 and 20,000 pages—a task requiring expert planners, ecologists, and legal guidance.
“These aren’t your average turbines,” Foyle said. “Previous ones were maybe 30 metres tall. These are six times that. And they’re offshore-scale—being built onshore, just 500 to 700 metres from people’s homes.”
Campaigners argue that national guidelines—last updated in 2006—are no longer fit for purpose, and that a pause is urgently needed. A related bill from Deputy Brian Stanley, calling for a freeze on mega turbine developments, has already passed its first stage in the Dáil.
Local councils are also taking notice. A motion opposing the development has passed in Kilkenny and Carlow, and is expected to be supported by Laois County Council on June 30th.
As residents brace for the planning process, a community meeting is scheduled for this coming Monday the 30th and it’s in the CYMS Hall in Ballyragget to inform and mobilise the public.
“This is about scale, proximity, and fairness,” Foyle added. “We support renewable energy—but not at this cost to our landscape and our lives.”
You can listen back to the full interview below:
