Documentary Series Generation at Kylemore Abbey - Our Creation Process for the New Production
In the heart of Connemara, Ireland, lies Kylemore Abbey, a stunning estate that has been home to a Benedictine order of nuns for the past 100 years. The estate, once a crumbling property, has been transformed into a successful heritage site, attracting over five hundred thousand visitors a year, mostly from overseas.
This August, RTE One will air a three-part documentary series titled The Hills Are Alive: A Year At Kylemore Abbey. The series, supported by the Sound and Vision fund, CnaM (Coimisiún na Meáná), and RTÉ, offers an intimate view of the Benedictine nuns' historical legacy and their contemporary life at Kylemore Abbey.
The series was inspired by a previous encounter with the artisanal soap and chocolate maker, Sister Genevieve. It portrays the nuns' lives intertwined with spiritual devotion, artisanal crafts, and maintaining the abbey’s estate. The nuns' daily routine is a rigorous one, encompassing private and collective prayer, community service, managing the estate, and welcoming visitors, all rooted in their spiritual mission and Benedictine traditions.
The series was shot in bursts over the course of a year, capturing the estate's various locations, including the castle, Victorian Walled Garden, and huge woodland, from high summer season through Christmas to the spring bloom and religious climax of Easter. It documents significant changes within the community, such as the election of a new Abbess and the loss of one of the community's senior figures.
The series aims to show the nuns as human beings and reflect the warmth of their personalities and the group as a whole. It features various characters, including Sister Genevieve, Head Gardener Anja, and Snowy, the estate's most popular Connemara pony. The series also highlights the contributions of the 150-or-so lay management and staff who make the place tick day by day.
The go-ahead for the series ultimately had to come from the sisters of the Benedictine order. The production team approached marketing manager Jessica Ridge to discuss the possibility of a series, who was open to the idea. The series provides a unique insight into the lives of the nuns, blending tradition, work, and community in a way that is both inspiring and captivating.
[1] Kylemore Abbey, Connemara, Ireland. (n.d.). Retrieved May 22, 2023, from https://www.kylemoreabbey.com/
[2] Kylemore Abbey. (n.d.). Retrieved May 22, 2023, from https://www.kylemoreabbey.com/history
[3] About Us. (n.d.). Retrieved May 22, 2023, from https://www.kylemoreabbey.com/about-us
[4] The Hills Are Alive: A Year At Kylemore Abbey. (n.d.). Retrieved May 22, 2023, from https://www.rte.ie/tv/programmes/the-hills-are-alive-a-year-at-kylemore-abbey/
- The documentary series, The Hills Are Alive: A Year At Kylemore Abbey, offers a captivating blend of the nuns' spiritual devotion, artisanal crafts, and home-and-garden lifestyle at Kylemore Abbey in Connemara, Ireland.
- In addition to serving as a heritage site, Kylemore Abbey also offers a unique travel destination, showcasing its stunning castle, Victorian Walled Garden, and expansive woodland.
