| Title: | Coogan, Michael (Brother Declan) to Coogan (n. Nolan), Catherine, 1863 |
|---|---|
| ID | 6319 |
| Collection | Carlow-Coogan Letters |
| File | coogan/8 |
| Year | 1863 |
| Sender | Coogan, Michael (Brother Declan) |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | monk/shoemaker |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Mt. Melleray, Cappoquin, Co. Waterford |
| Destination | Ballyloughan, Co. Carlow, Ireland |
| Recipient | Coogan (n. Nolan), Catherine |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | son-mother |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 926 |
| Genre | investiture, working as shoemaker, consoling his mother about siblings emigrating, family |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Mount Melleray May 16th, 1863 My Dear Mother, Brother, and Sisters, I now take the favourable opportunity of addressing you with a few lines hoping to find you all in the enjoyment of good health as this leaves me at present, thanks be to Almighty God for his goodness to us all. Dear Mother I have the pleasure to announce to you that on last Thursday it pleased the Almighty for me to receive from the good Rev. Father the beautiful and blessed habit which he vested me with under the patronage of St. Declan–an Irish saint--so that I feel as happy and as contented as anyone could be and never forget praying to the Almighty to grant me the grace to do his holy will in all things and by that means I feel no difficulty at all in anything I meet with. Everything is coming just as natural to me as if I was reared to it all my lifetime. I never found any such thing as great austerity which I thought I'd meet with to be sure. Everything comes very strange in the commencement but after a short time it all wears away and you'd come as used to it as you would to your own business at home. I am very happy entirely and especially since I got the habit of the Lay Brothers as I was wanting to work at my trade. There was but one of my trade in the place at the time I came and when I received the habit I was put to work with him. He is from Newtown in County Carlow. Well, I want to get from Hugh a pattern of a pair of Sandal [?] shoes as quick as possible. I have to make them for the Reverend Father and send as nice a pair as you can. His measure is 4-10-10 3/4. They may be left I suppose to last on an 8ts last and the first opportunity send me a pattern of a Lenst [?] shoe & 2 needles. Dear Mother, I hope you are going on well at present and have everything going on in good order and with as good care as you were and I [when I was] leaving home. I hope trade is good with you now, and that you are working diligently. I suppose you have William at the trade and that he is going on well. Let him mind himself well if he takes my advice, for you may be sure I know the [?] of living as a Christian ought since I came here. This is the place where you'd see nothing from one end of the day to the other but one the more holy than another. It's here the Sunday is spent well. You'd think it was heaven was opening to receive you when the procession would commence with all the beautiful singing that it would soften the hardest heart to behold it. Dear Mother, I hope you are taking this affair well with regard to parting with Mathew and Catherine. Don't fret. Take my advice and you may be sure you won't be sorry, for I'm sure they have a home to go to there the moment they land and you'd be well done for while you're alive, and amongst them all there is none of them'll do as much for you I hope as I will, for there is not a day or hour that I don't pray for you all and for my poor father and Margy Dobbins. And you may believe me that you won't be sorry for letting me come here. Be sure and state when you are writing to me all particulars about your going and you will have the prayers of the Community and that will be better than anything for you, and let me see you won't be fretting tormenting each other, and you can hear from me there as well as at home, and pray for me. Let me know what did Patt Darcy say about coming here, or has he any notion of coming at all. Let me know is William May/Mallery at home. I heard he was going to come here in short. His uncle received a letter from him stating so and I was not a fortnight here when he knew, for I was told by Brother William. I know James Doyle's family was angry with me for not telling them I was going away. I hope they will pardon me, for I would not wish to tell any person. So now let me see, as I have no more to say to you than that you will all go on well and do everything together quiet and well and God will do for you all. I must tell you let Willy stay at home from Drumphea and don't go in it at all. You may tell Mrs. Byrne that I passed by Mrs. Flynn's door in Dungarven and she has a very nice house. In coming from Dungarven to Cappoquin I forgot to tell you it was after night and the car driver thought to trick me on the way, but he found me also enough for him. If any of you ever come the same road mind yourself well. No more at present dear Mother, but I remain your affectionate son till death. MC Direct your letters to M.M. Abbey for Brother Declan as I took my name from St. Declan, an Irish saint. Pray for me. |
