Moyne Villa Football Club won the Circular Sports Champion category at the Full Circle Awards on September 17.
There was some confusion at Moyne Villa Football Club when the club learned it had been shortlisted as a finalist in the Full Circle Awards, a competition it had not entered. Fortunately, someone recalled that Headford Tidy Towns had nominated the club back in June.
The Full Circle Awards recognise outstanding circular economy action and innovation across Ireland, celebrating the people and projects helping to make reuse, repair and sustainable living part of everyday life. Circular.ie, organisers of the awards, stated that hundreds of nominations from every county in Ireland were put forward for the 2026 awards.
Headford Tidy Towns nominated Moyne Villa FC to showcase the club’s various sustainability initiatives, in the hope that highlighting its approach might inspire other clubs, businesses and individuals to adopt more sustainable and circular economy practices.
“Over the years, the club has introduced several practical sustainability and circular economy initiatives, from reusing football boots and kits to generating solar power, reducing waste and going completely paperless. They use an app which activates and deactivates the floodlights for individual pitches as required, removing the need for all lights to be on at the same time. The club also washes and dries kits in-house using power generated by its solar panels, meaning parents do not have to wash and dry kits at home.”
Tom Walsh of Moyne Villa FC explained: “Sustainability and circularity have become part of how the club operates day to day. Rather than focusing on one individual project, the club has made a series of practical changes which reduce waste, reuse resources and make football more affordable and accessible for local families.”
PJ Walsh of Moyne Villa FC added: “For us, circularity is not one project with a beginning and an end. It is about looking at how we operate as a club and asking where something can be reused, repaired, shared or done differently.”
Cathaoirleach of Galway County Council Andrew Reddington congratulated Moyne Villa on another significant achievement for the club.
“I’d like to commend the club for constantly rejuvenating its ideas to improve the local club, and for the overall betterment of the town itself. Well done.”
