WATCH: Cork man helps reveal hidden heritage from above 

When Kilcrea Abbey was built in the 15th century, only the birds could have appreciated its beauty from above.

Now, thanks to videographer Hugh Wright, heritage sites like the one near Ovens can be seen in all their glory from hundreds of feet in the air.

Hugh, originally from the Farran area, shot the footage for Echo readers to provide an example of his work.

He was introduced to history by his father as they visited old homes and grand mansions together.

Now, he has established a name for himself in his own field, documenting and videoing the country’s heritage. His website, The Cinematic Country, is one of Ireland’s most widely followed platforms dedicated to uncovering and preserving the stories of the country’s architectural heritage.

It all came about after Hugh received a medical diagnosis. It led to him deciding to leave his job in the pharmaceutical industry in Ringaskiddy and follow his dream of becoming a videographer.

“It was during the early covid days that I was diagnosed with X-linked retinoschisis, which is an eye disease,” Hugh says.

“But I carried on working as a scientist until the end of 2022 when I realised that I wasn’t happy in the career I was in, and I wanted to make the most of every day going forward.”

X-linked retinoschisis is a rare eye disorder causing early vision loss.

“Being diagnosed with a degenerative disease forces you to reassess your life and find a way to be happy,” says Hugh.

That decision to abandon his career and follow his passion for heritage was huge, but he says: “I absolutely never regretted it for a moment. I used my savings for a while. I always wrote and sang songs, but my main love was for historic buildings.

“I started doing videos, and they were OK. One day I decided to use a drone and then narrate over the footage. There was an immediate response so I practiced and taught myself how to do research on a given location.

“I created a studio setting at home and add the narration to the footage when I’ve completed the editing.”

As his work blossomed and gained followers online, Hugh honed his skills.

“I got in contact with several academics in the area, UCD, UCC and UL, and practiced continually.

“Research material can be found in online archives, but the best information comes from old books in libraries. The census documents and land registry are invaluable as well.”

Hugh believed he has tapped into a passion for heritage in this country.

“I think people are fascinated to hear about buildings that are nearby but they never get a chance to see,” he said. “Also, there are historic buildings that people aren’t aware of because they’re hidden behind trees.

“Most are too far gone for restoration unless you are a millionaire, but it would be wonderful for the state to save them before they go too far. Especially the grand listed houses.

“But there is a beauty in how they look now, there’s more nostalgia, and there’s a romance about how we can imagine the lives of those that lived there.”

What gems has he found on his travels, and what fascinates and drives him on?

One house in Westmeath was founded by a gentleman called William Edward Wilson, he was an astronomer, an extraordinary man who built an observatory beside his house,” recalled Hugh. “Finding out about him and telling his story was wonderful.

“Also, Coollattin House, the 85,000-acre estate in Co Wicklow, supposedly the biggest privately owned country house in Ireland, it belonged to the Earl Fitzwilliam, he financed the transport of over 6,000 people during the Great Hunger. I was invited up there by the current owners and in the basement, there are still bottles of wine from a party to celebrate the end of the Second World War.

“But I think revealing hidden houses is what keeps people interested,” added Hugh.

“The stately homes in your locality that you wouldn’t get to see normally. Every discovery drives me on to the next. Telling the stories that most people wouldn’t be familiar with.”

When did Hugh realise that it was going to be a career as opposed to a hobby?

When I got to 100,000 followers, firstly on TikTok, I knew I could make a career out of this. It cemented it for me.

“When I began to get recognition for my work from groups like the OPW, I knew I could earn a wage from this.

“I began to do research for people, including hotels, on the land that they own or the land that surrounds them. My large social media following on platforms like YouTube are then linked to the client in question and that brings in revenue.”

The Cinematic Country project has really taken off, combining aerial footage, photography, and historical research to document Ireland’s historic houses, castles, and landscapes.

“I love it,” says Hugh, “there’s always so much to learn and so much to see. I will be doing this for the rest of my life for definite.”

Are there legal restrictions to what he does?

“No, as I only ever set the drone off from public land, and I never film a house that is lived in as that would be an invasion of privacy.”

In this age of swiping and fast information, Hugh has followers of all ages across all platforms. How did he manage that?

“That’s an easy one to answer, I think it’s because we all just love a good story.

Hugh says he is drawn to places that are stuck in time, so we explored one of the first locations that he explored as a child, Kilcrea Friary and castle, and he kindly recorded some footage for Echo readers and viewers.

Follow the Cinematic Country on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.