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!
When starting my journey back in time I wasn’t prepared for, nor had I expected it to be, an emotional trip! In fact, I hadn’t even considered it. Of course while collecting photos of my family who were more recently … Continue reading →
This gallery contains 12 photos.
Have you ever heard the story of how Ireland got its name? I’ll tell you so you’ll understand from whence old Ireland came. No wonder that we’re proud of that dear land across the sea, For here’s the way me … Continue reading →
In my 2012 trip “back home” I amassed a large number of documents, some dating back to the late 1700s; old photographs (some still unnamed); and many photos of family headstones from a variety of cemeteries. One of the documents … Continue reading →
Growing up and even into my adult hood I have often been referred to as one of the “Black Irish”; my father calling me his “Black Irish Rose”! Where did the term come from; or more importantly who am I … Continue reading →
Posted in Belfast, Family History, Geneaology, Ireland, Misc.
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Tagged Belfast, Berry Family, Black Irish, Family History, Geneaology, Ireland, Murdoch Family
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Another beautiful Church my family is affiliated with. This stunning church is located on the outskirts of the City of Lisburn in County Antrim. My Scott, Berry, Waring & Hendren families are connected with this beautiful Church. The name of … Continue reading →
Posted in Co. Antrim, Family History, Geneaology, Ireland
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Tagged Beautiful Places in Ireland, Berry Family, Burial Records, Family History, Geneaology, Hendren Family, Ireland, Scott Family, Waring Family
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James Berry (my great grandfather) was born on 18 Jun 1864 in Lagan Village, Ballymacarret; which is in the Belfast area. He married Mary Agnes Scott (known as Mary) on 25 Feb 1893 in the Willowfield Church of Ireland, Belfast. … Continue reading →
St Columb’s Cathedral is near and dear to my heart; I often refer to it as “My Granny’s Church”! My family has been affiliated with the church for decades. Many were married, baptized and confirmed at the church. Some were in … Continue reading →
Definition of the “The Inner Circle”: http://dictionary.reference.com defines the Inner Circle as “an exclusive circle of people with a common purpose”; http://www.collinsdictionary.com says, “a clique or a group of people or who share a common interest, aim or purpose”; whereas … Continue reading →
Posted in Belfast, Co. Antrim, Co. Down, Family History, Geneaology, Ireland, Misc.
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Tagged Belfast City Cemetery, Co. Antrim, common ancestors, Geneaology, Inner Circle, Ireland, Misc.
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One to look out for! Good news about forthcoming online service for birth, marriage & death records from Northern Ireland February 7, 2014 at 1:04pm Firstly a little background: in Ireland, civil registration started in 1845 for some marriages & … Continue reading →
“Insane Asylums”!! In researching my family tree on one of the websites I frequent…. I found this document, entitled “Reasons for Admission: 1864-1889”. How many of us would have been already “locked up”?