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Castleisland March 16th '23 My Dear Con, Wife & Family In this awful time
of your Sad Bereavement, Myself & Family
join in sending you our Heartfelt Sorrow
for the loss of your Brave Noble Boy
Poor Charlie (R.I.P) To know him was to love him. Ah. God
how Cruel. I thought Ireland never reared
a Son that would send Poor Charlie to his
Doom. But God knows best, Con. I know
on this occasion words Bear little Meaning
For a Brave Old Heat. Such as yours
that is stabbed to the Core
Ah. Ireland. Ireland. Ireland. Such is the fate
of your Noblest Best.
As one who loved Charlie and Knowing you
Idolized him such as I did my own Brave
'Bouchal Bawn' Poor. Poor. Dick. R.I.P.
Knowing & Loving them Both. Is it not a consolation
to you & I to know they Never shrank From
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giving up their lives for 'The Old Land'
The Fondest wish of Their Hearts would be Oh, How Sweet to Live & Love Her,
Grander still it were to die,
With The Green Clad Hills of Ireland,
Echoing out their Last 'Good-Bye' God Comfort you all is the
Prayer of your old Friend R.E. Shanahan