Author Archives: CJ Murdoch

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About CJ Murdoch

Looking For "Dead People"! My Journey Back In Time - Tracing my ancestors and researching the counties, cities and towns where they resided. Taking a “Glimpse” into their lives and stories and the times in which they lived; all in an effort to learn about their “Dash”! “I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of his friend. He referred to the dates on her tombstone from the beginning – to the end. He noted that first came the date of her birth and spoke of the second with tears, but he said that what mattered most of all was the dash between those years.” I have always been interested in researching my family tree and “hanging out” in cemeteries. Like most of us... I didn't ask enough questions when elderly family were still living. Oh, what I would give for 24 hours and a camera with my ancestors… just to sit and listen! I'm researching many family lines, including: Murdoch, Wilson, Berry, Love, Scott, Beattie/Beatty, Hendren, Sweeney, Robinson and Elvin; just to name a few. My families are predominantly from counties Antrim, Donegal and Londonderry. However, it seems that many of them, both maternal and paternal lines, originally hailed from Co. Donegal. I was born and raised in Northern Ireland and now live in Ottawa, Canada, making frequent trips back home to visit with my family. Of course those visits also include treks to the many burial grounds of my ancestors. My most recent trip back home was during the summer of 2019! Looking forward to August of 2020 when I will return. If you are interested in help tracing your ancestors I’d love to hear from you!

The “Wee Church on the Walls”

The Beautiful Little Church where my great grandparents, Johnston Alexander Love & Isabella Fisher Chambers married on October 5, 1903. Early History of St. Augustine’s Church Londonderry St Columb (St Columba, St Colmcille ) was born c 522 AD at … Continue reading

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The Dark Hedges

The Dark Hedges, near Armoy and Ballymoney, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland. The Dark Hedges is a relatively short avenue (about half a mile long) in Northern Ireland’s county Antrim, and about two centuries old. The 150 trees – beech trees … Continue reading

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Burial Records – A Great Resource

When researching ancestors a great resource are burial records.  The records tend to show date of death, burial date, residence at time of death, grave number and often the proprietor of the grave.  They also show all occupants of the … Continue reading

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Dunluce Castle….

The limestone cliffs of the White Rocks ends abruptly against a dark basalt outcrop which is majestically crowned by Dunluce Castle and joined to the mainland by an arched walkway. Underneath lies the Mermaid’s Cave with its legend of a … Continue reading

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Love – Chambers Connection

Isabella Fisher Chambers (known as Bella) married Johnston Alexander Love (known as Alex); my great grandparents. Bella’s parents were John Chambers and Catherine Johnston. John was born about 1845 in Glasgow, Scotland. He married Catherine in St. Columb’s Cathedral on … Continue reading

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My 3rd great grandfather John Love was born somewhere between 1790 & 1795 in Drumramer, Co. Londonderry; which is the Limavady area! He married Anne McAlister (known as Nancy) 2 Dec 1882 at Christ Church Drumachose Church of Ireland. He … Continue reading

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PORT … A Ghost Village in County Donegal.

Port is an abandoned Famine Village, just north-west of Glencolmcille in Co Donegal. It was once a whole hamlet of houses but was deserted long ago and is now left to the ravages of the elements. The majority of the … Continue reading

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“What Would Our Ancestors Think Of Us?”

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