Latest news with #KatrinaCostello
RTÉ News
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Kerry: Tides of Time - how I made the epic new RTÉ documentary
Filmmaker Katrina Costello introduces her new documentary series Kerry: Tides of Time, narrated by Brendan Gleeson, which tells the multi-dimensional story of the Kerry landscape, from its earliest origins, deep in the geological past, right up to the present day - watch it now via RTÉ Player. Making Kerry: Tides of Time has been one of the most challenging and rewarding projects I've worked on. Like all my films, it began with a dream and a deep connection to people and place. Kerry's landscapes are striking, but I wanted to go beyond the postcard views, to spend time in the less-seen corners: the Atlantic rainforests, the mountain valleys, pockets of native woodland, and the bogs. These are the places where nature still clings on, protected somewhat by their remoteness from people, grazers, and plantations. There wasn't a grand plan at the start, just a love for wildness and for nature. And where in Ireland is wilder than Kerry? While it felt like a natural follow-on from my last RTÉ series, The Burren: Heart of Stone, this became its own story entirely. The place is vast. Its ecosystems are heartbreakingly beautiful, and, at times, heartbreaking in their decline. Even in remote places, the signs of stress are there. Filming always begins with knowledge and respect: for the people, the land, and the creatures we hope to film. That deepened by spending time with the various contributors, all of whom dedicate their lives to protecting all of the above. I'm just passing through their landscape, really. Making documentary films like this isn't always glamorous. I've slid down muddy banks, pulled out ticks, been eaten alive by midges, and yes, I've ended up hip-deep in bog holes more than once. But I've also witnessed moments of pure magic: harriers passing food mid-air, sea eagles circling with ravens, corrie lakes glowing with colour, puffins skimming the waves, and the ever-changing dance between cloud and mountain. My favourite moments are the dawns. Words fail those hours. Whether cloaked in mist or blazing with light, they're always full of hope. So much filming of nature happens in those liminal, golden hours. I'm lucky to own a campervan which allows me stay close to location. I can rise before the birds or wait for that perfect twilight. It's my lifeline. There's something about wild camping that stirs the imagination in ways nothing else does. You fall asleep and wake to the sights and sounds of the natural world. There wasn't a grand plan at the start, just a love for wildness and for nature. And where in Ireland is wilder than Kerry? Maybe it's the hush between night sounds, or the stars, hinting at stories older than memory. In those moments, wrapped in quiet and shadow, the line between reality and myth softens. You feel part of something far greater than yourself, and it's as if the land is aware of you. If you listen closely enough, it just might speak to you. No wonder there were so many great storytellers before electricity and the virtual world took hold. When you live that close to nature, the stories almost tell themselves. Scenes: Nature Some scenes were trickier to film than others. I reckon I spent close to 1,000 hours trying to film the hen harriers, one of Ireland's most endangered birds. Their numbers continue to drop, mainly due to habitat loss from large-scale spruce plantations. We spent months with the red deer in the Kerry mountains, witnessing both the rut and the birthing season. There were endless dawns and dusks at badger setts too. We became familiar with each other, I think. As with all wildlife filming, you have to slow down. You wait. You watch. You listen. Often, I wouldn't film what I set out to, but I always came back with something. It might be a dewdrop trembling on a blade of grass, a surprise storm rolling in, or a new way of seeing an old place. Working in bogs took some adjustment. Carrying a full kit, camera, tripod, long lens, across unstable ground meant many missteps, literally. Over time, I developed a kind of sixth sense: where to step, how to move, how to balance. Technically, the setup was demanding. The kit I usually use weighs about 15-17 kilos, not including batteries, weather gear, or spares. It was physically tough, yes, but worth every ache for the quality of the footage. Kerry: Tides of Time isn't just a film about scenery. I wanted to reflect on how we've shaped these places, how they continue to shape us, and what we might still protect. From overgrazed hillsides to the Skelligs during nesting season, the pressures on the land are real. But so is the hope. I met incredible people doing vital work: Padraig O'Sullivan and the National Park rangers, individuals like Tim and Barry O'Donoghue, Eoghan Daltun, Aidan Walsh, Mary Reynolds and all of our contributors and many others involved in organic farming and rewilding. There are fantastic community efforts too: the Meitheals clearing invasive rhododendron, the Maharees Conservation Association, Ballybunion Nature Group, and Home Tree, working to restore native forests. Their passion has left a lasting impression on me. Sound and music were crucial Composer Bradley Ayres created a score that held the visuals gently, letting them breathe. And Dunquin native Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh brought something otherworldly to the series. Her voice gave scenes a haunting, ancient quality, evoking a sense of wonder where words fell short. So how did I approach this project? With commitment, careful planning, and a lot of time on the ground. It was physically exhausting, sometimes frustrating, and often slow. But more than anything, it was deeply rewarding. To spend that kind of time in one landscape, to watch it shift with the seasons, to learn its moods, and to be part of it, is a rare gift. Kerry: Tides of Time is a tribute to the natural heritage of this place. But more than that, it's an invitation, to look again, to understand more deeply, and maybe, just maybe, to care enough to protect what we still have.
Irish Independent
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
‘Kerry: Tides of Time' documentary to air on RTÉ One with Brendan Gleeson narrating
'Kerry: Tides of Time', narrated by acclaimed actor Brendan Gleeson, will be broadcast at 6:30pm on Sunday, April 27 and Sunday, May 4. This sweeping series offers a deep dive into the evolution of the Kerry landscape, tracing its story from ancient geological beginnings to the present day. It is brought to life by the voices of those who know Kerry best—local biologists, historians, ecologists, and archaeologists—whose connection to the land brings a personal and often moving dimension to the narrative. Set against a backdrop of some of Ireland's most iconic scenery—including the Skellig Islands, Carrauntoohil, and Killarney National Park—Kerry: Tides of Time promises a richly woven portrait of one of the country's most storied counties. The series was produced and directed by Katrina Costello and she spoke to The Kerryman in extra detail about what the show. 'Kerry is one of the most breath taking places in Ireland, with its wild beauty, rich biodiversity, and unique landscapes. It's fabulous. I love it, the wildness of people and place. The national parks are an amazing facility for Ireland, and have some stunning pockets of incredible Yew, Oak, Scots pine and mixed woodlands. I had a lot of assistance from Padraig O Sullivan and all the fantastic rangers in the National Park,' she said. "I learned while there, is that there is as such wildlife, outside of the national park as there is inside the park, perhaps even more and that these areas need to be valued and safeguarded. We spent hundreds of hours in the tiny fragments of Atlantic rainforests and the bogs, filming the richness of the flora and fauna within. A particular favourite of mine is the hen harriers, one of Ireland's most endangered birds. Their numbers continue to drop, mainly due to habitat loss from large-scale spruce plantations,' she continued. Katrina reserved special praise for the many people that are doing amazing conservation work behind the scenes. 'There is some fantastic work being done on an individual basis, by people like Tim and Barry O Donoghue, Eoghan Dalton, and an endless list of others who have dedicated their lives to nature and restoration,' she said. 'In Kerry, there are a growing number of amazing organic farmers, and exemplar community-led groups, like the various Meitheals, which aim to tackle the problem of invasive rhododendrons and the award winning Maharees Conservation Association, and Ballybunion Nature Group who are building community resilience and using nature-based solutions, to protect the sand dune habitats and Home Tree, a nature restoration charity, based in the west of Ireland working to establish and restore resilient habitats, focusing on native temperate rainforests. 'The list of people and organizations that are passionate about nature restoration is endless and these people bring hope for a better future,' she continued. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more Episode one this coming Sunday takes a deep look at the history, geology, and people of Kerry. It starts on a remote, rocky shoreline where the first signs of vertebrate life on Earth can be found, then moves through the story of how humans have lived in and interacted with this landscape over thousands of years. It's a story of people trying to survive and make a home in a place shaped by forests, mountains, and valleys. The episode includes striking, cinematic recreations of key moments from the past. These scenes don't show things literally but suggest what life might have been like, helping to draw viewers into the world of our ancestors in a subtle but powerful way. Throughout, the audience will hear from leading experts who share their knowledge and personal insights, adding depth and context to the story being told. Episode two on May 4 meanwhile will follow a single year in Kerry's natural world, showing how the seasons change across different landscapes. It focuses on the lives of some of the area's most interesting animals, including badgers, red deer, hen harriers, and puffins. The filming is detailed and immersive, giving us a rare look into the daily lives of these creatures. Special cameras capture intimate moments with a badger clan, and rare access to the Skellig Islands lets us see the puffin breeding season up close. Beyond the animal stories, the episode also explores how local ecosystems work, and how changes in the modern world are affecting some of Kerry's more vulnerable wildlife. The trailer for the series can be found here:
