Beneath The Chapel

Young Lives Lost and a Friend of the Liberator

Three lives, three different journeys, one resting place beneath the chapel at Mount Saint Lawrence.

In this episode, George Lee recalls Michael O’Carroll and John Bolger, two young priests whose lives ended at just twenty-eight and twenty-seven. He then follows the story of Franciscan Roger O’Higgins, a trusted friend of Daniel O’Connell who helped bring the Liberator’s monument to Limerick’s Crescent.

From St John’s to Rome, and from a familiar city landmark to the quiet crypt, their stories reveal connections between faith, friendship and nineteenth-century Limerick.

A podcast from Friends of Mount Saint Lawrence.

Remembering lives, sharing stories, keeping memories alive.

Episode 2. Building the Mortuary Chapel

A winter gale, a fallen belfry and a burial place beneath the ground.

George Lee follows the building of Mount Saint Lawrence’s mortuary chapel, from architect George Goldie’s plans and the laying of the foundation stone to the storm of December 1867 that brought down its newly built belfry. Beneath the chapel lies another story: a crypt with thirty coffin spaces, where burials had begun before the building above was completed.

Written and narrated by George Lee for Friends of Mount Saint Lawrence.

At the heart of Mount Saint Lawrence Cemetery in Limerick stands a remarkable nineteenth-century mortuary chapel. But beneath its stone floors lies a little-known chapter of the city's history.

In the opening episode of Beneath the Chapel, George Lee explores the origins of the cemetery, the construction of its Gothic chapel, and the extraordinary crypt hidden beneath it.

From the laying of the foundation stone in 1867 to the dramatic collapse of the chapel's belfry during construction, we uncover the stories, personalities and events surrounding this remarkable building.

We also begin to explore the lives of those laid to rest beneath the chapel, revealing a fascinating connection between Limerick's religious, social and civic history.

A journey beneath the stones, into the past, and into the lives of those whose stories deserve to be remembered.

Beneath the Chapel is a six-part podcast series by George Lee for Friends of Mount Saint Lawrence.

Remembering Lives. Sharing Stories. Keeping Memories Alive.

© George Lee 2026

Beneath the chapel at Mount Saint Lawrence Cemetery lies a chapter of Limerick’s history that many visitors never see.

In this short preview, George Lee introduces a six-part series exploring the mortuary chapel, its crypt and the lives of the men buried there—from a friend of Daniel O’Connell to a young curate whose journey home from a funeral ended in tragedy.

Discover the people behind the names, and the story of how Limerick found a new place to bury its dead.

A podcast from Friends of Mount Saint Lawrence.