My Dear Sons in a deplorable state. We write these lines letting ye know the sad news that has be fallen us regarding the Death of your affectionate Mother, who departed this life on the morning of the 13th of the last month, after a few illness. She never enjoyed better health than she did on the previous week until the night of the 12th, that is the night before she died, about the hour ten o clock. She was seized by a severe headache by which she only lived until about the hour of ten o'clock the following morning.

When she bid adieu to us all and we hope she went to inherit a happier home that is the Kingdom of Heaven, alas I regret to say to ye that she took her last supper along with us on the same night as comfortable and in as good health as she did for the last 12 months. She said her prayers as usual, went to bed, and only laid down, when she was struck by a severe pain in the head, which ended with death. She asked us to send for Catherine and Meary, but she had no feeling at the time they arrived. She was almost speechless since the very moment she took the pain; we sent a messenger immediately for the priest and was anointed thanks be to the Lord. She died on the morning of the 13th and was buried on Friday the 15th in the churchyard of Aughamore, we had a very large and respectable Funeral. She has left us in a very mournful and consoling state, we regret very much to have such a lamentable news to send to you, but the holy will of the Lord must be done, may her soul rest in peace, and we hope ye will join us night and morning in praying for the repose of her soul.

She has left us a very lonely and mournful Christmas and we hope ye will write to us as soon as ye can for hearing from ye would be a great consolation to us all, and especially to your Father except our grief and trouble, we are all in good health thank god and so is Patt O'Donnell and Mrs. and Michael Phillips and Mrs. and family and Thomas Mrs. and family. We will join in sending ye both your Mrs. and families our kind love and best respects. Goodbye for the present, but we hope ye will write soon.

B Hunt

Patrick McNamara wrote to you last June and he is very much surprised you did not answer it.

Dominick Hunt

Next Letter - 28th Feb 1874