Elderly Cork woman reunited with husband's love letter following handbag theft

An elderly woman has been reunited with her late husband’s love letter, penned some 60 years ago, after gardaí recovered her stolen handbag yesterday.

Her family paid tribute last night to gardaí in Ballincollig, Co Cork, and to Ballincollig Shopping Centre staff for their help in recovering the treasured items so quickly.

Edel, the 82-year-old woman’s daughter, said her mother, Breeda, was thrilled and relieved to be reunited with the cherished letter and other personal mementoes.

“We are just so thankful to everybody who played a role in recovering her handbag,” Edel said.

“I would especially like to thank the staff at the shopping centre, the security guards, the local gardaí and Emer Cassidy of AIB Ballincollig who all helped. We are just so grateful.”

BREAKING: A woman, 82, has been reunited with her late husband's love letter, penned c60 yrs ago, after gardai find her stolen handbag #Cork

— Eoin English (@EoinBearla) November 19, 2015

It followed appeals for help on this newspaper’s website and social media channels, on the Neil Prendeville Show on Red FM, and on RTE’s Today Show.

Edel’s mother was in the shopping centre’s Dunnes Stores grocery outlet with a friend on Wednesday, her first trip from home in several months after illness, when a thief struck.

Breeda put her handbag down for a moment to reach an item on a shelf when her handbag was snatched. Edel said her mother was distraught when she discovered it was missing.

As well as financial documents, it contained a love letter written some 60 years earlier by her late husband, Donal, who died 28 years ago.

The couple met when they were 17 and married when Breeda was 20. Donal was a travelling salesman who used to write love letters to Breeda while he was away from home.

Breeda kept one of the love letters in her handbag at all times — one which was of great significance to her — as well as a photograph of her own mother, pictures of her grandchildren and other personal items.

Garda Brian Henderson: Helped recover the bag

Edel said her mother felt violated and a deep sense of loss when she realised how much had been taken.

The alarm was raised and the shopping centre’s excellent CCTV footage helped Garda Brian Henderson identify a suspect — a woman in her 40s — and trace her movements.

He called to a local address yesterday afternoon, recovered the bag with its contents intact, and returned them to Edel. Investigations are continuing.