The Benedictine nuns at Kylemore Abbey in Co Galway, have launched a new business - manufacturing chocolate.
Community spokesperson Sr Genevieve said, that in the wake of the
closure of the boarding school, she and her seven fellow-sisters were
looking for some new enterprises to occupy them.
She explained that the former boarding school had an excellent
kitchen, fitted to the highest standard, which was used for home
economics teaching, and two members of the community went on a formal
training course in chocolate making.
They have now started producing
chocolate products in the old school kitchen, including chocolate bars
that are being sold at Kylemore’s shop and restaurant.
The venture is already employing them almost full-time.
The ingredients are bought in but the chocolate is hand-made in the
abbey kitchen and the Benedictines hope to expand the business
gradually.
Besides the boarding school, previous business ventures by the
Kylemore community have included a jam-making business that employed
several local people and a farm attached to the abbey, which they
operated.
Kylemore is also one of the west of Ireland’s most popular tourist
attractions, but the nuns have recently leased this to outside
management.
SIC: CIN/IE