Mayo project scoops prestigious national housing award Published: Thu 16 Oct 2025, 12:47 PM

A Mayo project has won a national prize at the Irish Council for Social Housing Community Housing Awards 2025.

Carnacon Social Housing Development, which is managed by Mayo County Council, topped the Small Family Housing Project category, beating competition from Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown and Fingal in Dublin.

The ceremony was held at the Slieve Russell Hotel in Cavan.

Sponsored by IPB Insurance, the awards are a platform to show the innovation and sustainability in public housing projects supported by approved housing bodies (AHBs), local authorities and the Land Development Agency in communities all over Ireland.

In 2019 the community of Carnacon approached Mayo County Council with a proposal that they hoped would address the problem of population decline in this small rural village.

This was the genesis of a collaborative project resulting in nine family homes located within the residential area of the village, beside the primary school and community centre. All village amenities are immediately accessible via publicly lit footpaths.

The houses are accessible and incorporate age-friendly features.

Existing mature beech trees around the perimeter of the site have been preserved, alongside new native hedgerow planting.

PHOTO: Carnacon Social Housing Development, which is managed by Mayo County Council, was named the winner in the Small Family Housing category at the ICSH Community Housing Awards 2025. Pictured at the ceremony at the Slieve Russell Hotel in Cavan are, from left, the chairman of awards sponsor IPB Insurance John Hogan, Gerri Joyce, Olivia Gallagher, Judy Feeney and Matt Stevens of Mayo County Council, Head of Underwriting Operations at IPB Insurance Alice Foley and President of the ICSH Tina Donaghy. Picture: Justin Farrelly

Published: Thu 16 Oct 2025, 12:47 PM