David Nevin October 29th 2026
Objections have been steadily pouring in against a proposed major solar farm near Lackagh in north-east Galway.
The development is known as Blackthorn Solar Farm, and would be around 93 hectares in size on lands on both sides of the village.
A planning application was lodged last month for the solar farm, which would be based on 229 acres of land across the Turloughmore, Lackagh and Knockdoe areas.
Once completed, it would have a 40 year lifespan and the capacity to generate enough power to provide for more than 14 thousand homes.
The closest solar panels would come to established homes ranges from 40 to 100 metres in various areas.
A planning and environmental report says the project would not have any adverse impacts on the area from various perspectives – including landscape, visual, traffic, access, archaeological, heritage, ecological, glint and glare.
It further says the project is made up of land from established farming families in the area and represents a positive joint working arrangement on a project in the local agri-community.
But that’s something local residents would evidently strongly disagree with – as evidenced by strong opposition to the solar farm plans from the outset, as well as a raft of objections once planning was lodged.
Since a planning application was lodged last month, there are more than 150 submissions on file at County Hall – and although they vary in length and complexity, they are unified in their opposition.
The issues and arguments raised are too numerous to mention in detail, but common issues include construction impact on road safety, destruction of landscape views, loss of prime farmland, and impact on nature and wildlife.
Many of the objections stress they are not against renewable energy or solar farm developments in principle – just not in this location.
A submission from local Fianna Fail TD Albert Dolan is just one of many lodged by politicians; he asked that Galway County Council assess if sufficient public consultation was undertaken in advance of the seeking of planning permission.
The Blackthorn Solar Farm project was also at the centre of a recent request in the Dáil that Government put a temporary pause on large scale solar farm projects, pending the completion of guidelines on solar energy.
“Will they be put on the long finger, as the wind guidelines were?”, asked Galway West Fine Gael TD Sean Kyne on that occasion, who further raised local concerns about future expansion in the village given that the solar farm comes quite close to established homes and businesses in its proposed form.
You can read more about that debate here – but for now, county planners are still assessing the Blackthorn plans, and a decision is expected in the coming weeks.
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