Jul
07
2023
By John Tierney
Local historian Tommy Mooney tells us a team of German students cleaned up the interior of the cathedral in 1965/6. As part of that process the red sandstone Fuges graveslab (https://historicgraves.com/ardmore/wa-ardm-0277/grave) was removed to reveal steps down into a burial vault beneath. Tommy and Jim Rooney examined the vault along with Jimmy Flynn (RIP) and Donal O’Brien (RIP). Jimmy Flynn was over 6 ft tall and the vault roof is far overhead, so the burial vault is substantial.
Up to six elaborate coffins can be identified. Some of the coffins appear to have a studded decoration and given their solid condition were probably lead-lined.
(Photo taken by Tommy Mooney and shows (L-R) Jimmy Flynn, Jim Rooney and Donal O'Brien).
