Mary Kelly, owner of Mary Kelly’s Newsagents and Card Shop on O’Connell Street in Ennis this week received a card that was first posted 45 years ago. 

The Ennis businesswoman spoke to Anton about her surprise, and showed that she is quite the character and not afraid of an auld plug! 

The story appeared on the front page of the Clare Champion, and it transpired the letter was sent from Dublin to Ennis on April 7, 1971

Mary says that the  envelope was perfectly intact and the address was written in a nice fountain pen.

It was addressed to the previous owner of the shop – who has since passed away. She didn’t open it when she got it first but got in touch with the previous owners son, who urged her to open it

The letter! Pic by John Kelly of the Clare Champion. 

There were stamps in the envelope when she did open it. There was an address on the back, so now the previous owner’s son is trying to trace where the poster may have come from

Mary loves the memories that the letter has reminded her of. She has been speculating about why the letter took so long to arrive with her own postman. It remains a mystery for now. 

The contents of the letter. Pic by John Kelly of the Clare Champion. 

With thanks to John Kelly, Peter O'Connell and The Clare Champion.