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!

Wordless Wednesday!

Johnston Alexander Love, My Maternal Great Grandfather…  

Posted in Co. Londonderry, Family History, Geneaology, Ireland | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Sentimental Sunday!

A Short Life… Born on 23 Jun 1906 in 41 Cherryville Street, Belfast I had always thought that my paternal grandmother, Lizzie Berry; was the youngest of seven children born to James Berry and Mary Agnes Scott.  It would seem I … Continue reading

Posted in Belfast, Co. Antrim, Family History, Ireland | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Strangers in the Box!

“Strangers in the Box”… Come, look with me inside this drawer,  In this box I’ve often seen,  At the pictures, black and white,  Faces proud, still, serene.  I wish I knew the people,  These strangers in the box,  Their names … Continue reading

Posted in Co. Londonderry, Family History, Geneaology, Ireland | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Tombstone Tuesday!

Hidden Headstones…  In August of 2014 I was, once again, in the Derry City Cemetery searching for family graves.  Since my last trip “back home” in 2012 my research had unearthed several family connections and various other family members who were … Continue reading

Posted in Burial Records, Co. Londonderry, Family History, Geneaology, Ireland | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mystery Monday!

A Tiny Little Document… In the summer of 2012 on a trip “back home”, while going through some family documents that my aunt had amassed for me; I came across a little piece of paper. This tiny “piece” of a … Continue reading

Posted in Co. Donegal, Co. Londonderry, Family History, Geneaology, Ireland, Misc. | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Murdock-McAleese Twisted Limb

From Co. Antrim, Ireland to Pennsylvania, U.S.A. … Born in the Ballymoney area of Co. Antrim, Ireland on 30 March 1878, she was the eldest of three children, and only daughter; born to Alexander Murdock and Jane Holmes.  Her two … Continue reading

Posted in Co. Antrim, Family History, Geneaology, Ireland | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Friday’s Faces From The Past!

My Berry Connection… “I would I were alive again to kiss the fingers of the rain.” Edna St. Vincent Millay     Copyright (c) (2014) (https://colleenjmurdoch.wordpress.com). All Rights Reserved. 

Posted in Belfast, Co. Antrim, Co. Down, Family History, Geneaology, Ireland | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Full Circle Moment!

MY Sweeney’s of Garryharry, Co. Donegal… For years I didn’t know what the initial “S” stood for when my father was signing his name.  After quite some time I discovered he was named after his paternal grandmother Lizzie Sweeney.  As … Continue reading

Posted in Co. Donegal, Family History, Geneaology, Ireland | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

Wordless Wednesday!

The Templecormac Graveyard, Upper Ballinderry…  “We do not need to grieve for the dead. Why should we grieve for them? They are now in a place where there is no more shadow, darkness, loneliness, isolation, or pain. They are home.” … Continue reading

Posted in Burial Records, Co. Antrim, Family History, Geneaology, Ireland | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Ballinderry Middle Church

Forgotten Graves… During my very recent trip “back home” I spent much of my time documenting cemeteries, grave yards and family burial grounds in Northern Ireland.  One of the many that I visited was the Middle Church in Ballinderry where … Continue reading

Posted in Burial Records, Co. Antrim, Family History, Geneaology, Ireland | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments