The ‘Friend of Bianconi’ group in Boherlahan have outlined their plans to acknowledge funding of €25,000 from the Heritage Ireland Grant Scheme. A number of events will be held during Heritage Week next month and all interested in helping with Heritage Week events are invited to attend a meeting in the Community Hall in Boherlahan this evening at 8.00pm.
The funding will be used to develop a plan towards the future preservation of Charles Bianconi Mortuary Chapel located adjacent to the church in Boherlahan. Charles Bianconi was an Italian -Irish entrepreneur, sometimes described as the “man who put Ireland on wheels”, as he developed a network of horse-drawn coaches that became Ireland’s “first regular public transport” system. Charles Bianconi, who served two terms as Mayor of Clonmel, purchased Longfield House near Boherlahan and died there in 1875 – he is buried in the Bianconi Chapel with his wife Eliza Hayes and other family members. Heritage Week programming will run from August 17th to 25th August – the group intends to offer free tours of the Bianconi Chapel located in Boherlahan village on August 17th, 18th and 25th between 2pm and 5pm. On August 17th between noon and 2pm there will be a guided walk from the Moat at Ardmayle along the Mass Path to the Bianconi Chapel.
