Connacht Rugby Training Facility Smart Lighting Upgrade

Overview

Project: Connacht Rugby Training Facility Smart Lighting Upgrade
Client: McGrath Electrical
Date: 2025
Supplier: Southgate Lighting
The Brief: Connacht Rugby required a modern, dimmable lighting solution for an existing training and meeting space. The challenge was to introduce flexible lighting controls without the disruption, cost and downtime associated with rewiring an occupied building.

The Project

The existing lighting consisted of standard fluorescent fittings that operated at full brightness only, offering no flexibility for presentations, meetings or training sessions.

Traditionally, converting an existing installation to dimmable lighting would require extensive additional control wiring throughout the building. This would increase labour costs, extend installation time and create unnecessary disruption.

Working closely with McGrath Electrical, Kellihers Electrical assessed the project on-site before identifying an innovative alternative. By specifying Southgate Mercury LED fittings with integrated Bluetooth dimming nodes, each luminaire became wirelessly controllable, eliminating the need for additional control cabling.

The existing fittings were simply removed and replaced with the new LED fittings, while a wireless wall switch and Bluetooth control system allowed the entire installation to be commissioned quickly using a mobile app.

The result was a future-ready smart lighting installation completed without the complexity of rewiring the building.

Results

Entire lighting upgrade completed in just one day.
No additional control wiring required.
Significantly reduced installation time and labour costs.
Fully dimmable LED lighting throughout the space.
Wireless wall controls and Bluetooth app commissioning.
Minimal disruption to the client and facility operations.
A scalable smart lighting solution that can easily be expanded in the future.

Why It Worked

Kellihers Electrical collaborated with Southgate Lighting and McGrath Electrical to deliver a tailored solution instead of a conventional dimming system.
Solution met client objectives while eliminating unnecessary installation scope.
Bluetooth fittings had higher unit cost but removed rewiring and cut install hours, resulting in a much larger overall saving.
Kellihers Electrical used a consultative approach: visiting site, understanding the contractor’s challenges, and sourcing the most suitable solution rather than just supplying products.