A passionate 19th century love letter is discovered in the collection of an Inishowen family... but who was the recipient of the message?

A love letter containing a tender message has been discovered in the collection of an Inishowen family... but it is unknown who was the recipient of the romantic poem.

This 19th century letter was discovered in the Donegal County Archives by Niamh Brennan, archivist.

The poem reads as follows:

My Dear Valentine

Thy image, lovely as the morn,

Appears in all I see

For nature in her fairest forms but beauty speaks of thee

Oh welcome love, it this be love, aught else it cannot be

To think that all my joy or woe finds sympathy with thee.

I love thee dear with all my heart, none else can I love but thee

My heart you have and yours I want from thee.

I am your affectionate admirer

A Sinclaire

"We are not sure who A Sinclaire was or to whom the letter was addressed," said a representative.

"This affecting love poem was found in the collection of the Steele Nicholson family of Falmore House, Gleneely, Inishowen during routine cataloguing work last week.

"The collection was donated to the Archives some years ago by Down Museum. The Steele Nicholsons were a wealthy family who owned property and land in Donegal and Down in the 19th century."