Read the Letter

Ballymena
Co. Antrim
HOTEL

September 1st, 1944

[Slips of shamrock and white heather are attached at the top of the letter]

Dear Bee, ....

This is a lovely.... am travelling alone. I was to mass this morning. They have a lovely church. Well the cuntry side is lovely and the grass is greener on account of the fences are all made of hedges. There isn't any wire fences at all. And the Irish are Irish all right. A Mr. Mahoney I met at church gave me a bicycle and I went out in the cuntry. I saw whair they cut the peete. My but they have cords of it piled up. I brought a piece with me for a suviner. Say Bee, i am going to the glens of Anthrums tomorrow it is the prettiest place in the

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north. The only thing I wish you were here to see it all. I am glad I came. I am the only one from our c0o to come except the padre, he been here. He just loves it here in Ballymena. The stores are nice and well kept. But one can't bye anything without cupons but in the south you can bye anything. Say I saw the real shamrocks grow and got some also the white heather here is a piece. The weather is wet here and it makes it nasty to get around. Well I guess I have herd all the fairy stories about Ireland now ha ha. Well Ireland is nicer than Scotland. The flowers gardens and the hedges are nicer kept and the people are marvelous. This morning at church you could think they knew me all my life. Hello Canada are you Irish, then you can guess the rest. Ha ha. Paper is scarse so good by Pat.