Inside the Bianconi Mortuary Chapel Restoration

A National Heritage Week event with Conservation Architect, Karol O’Mahony

Uncover one of Tipperary’s most intriguing and atmospheric places of remembrance and discover the story behind the Bianconi Mortuary Chapel of St Catherine in Boherlahan, Cashel.

Built as the final resting place of Charles Bianconi (1786–1875), the pioneering Italian-born entrepreneur and celebrated “King of the Roads”, the chapel is a remarkable example of Italianate architecture and a deeply personal monument to a man who transformed travel and transport in nineteenth-century Ireland.

This special National Heritage Week event offers a fascinating opportunity to look beyond the chapel’s handsome stone exterior and explore its architectural details, craftsmanship, history and conservation challenges. Conservation Architect Karol O’Mahony will reveal the features that make this small rural chapel so significant, explain the principles behind its restoration, and discuss the work involved in protecting it for future generations.

From its distinctive Italianate detailing and elegant stonework to its carefully designed windows and intimate interior, every element tells a story. The chapel also forms an important part of the wider Bianconi story – connecting the extraordinary life of a nineteenth-century transport pioneer with the landscape and community he became part of.

Join the Friends of Bianconi for an engaging evening of architecture, history and conservation, and discover why this remarkable little chapel deserves to be cherished.