Building of Murdock, Minnesota – The featured photograph above is a view of the building of the second Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Murdock, Minnesota, circa 1920s. Men stand in their fine suits and hats on top of the new Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Murdock, Minnesota, during construction. The first church, wooden, was located directly behind, west, of the new brick church in Murdock. This photo is undated from the Swift County Historical Society, Benson, Minnesota. View a vertical version of historic image on a previous blog post. See below another view photo of construction and historic Murdock, Minnesota.
Audio from Swift County Historical Society talk posted
Jannet L. Walsh
July 15, 2022
Murdock, Minnesota
Audio recording – Dublin Diaries July 15, 2022

I’ve just published the next in a series of Dublin Diaries for July 15, 2022. This is an audio recording from the Brown Bag Lunch at the Swift County Historical Society in Benson, Minnesota, July 14, 2022. Topics of the talk include my Irish American family history in Minnesota, and roots in Ireland. Included also are tips for searching for your family roots.

Overview of talk

- Irish genealogy search – Learn a few tips about how to gather family history.
- Island of Ireland – Learn facts of invasion, famine, and emigration of the Irish people, including the Great Famine.
- Archbishop John Ireland – Listen to my family’s story as pioneers in rural Minnesota as part of a mainly Irish colony started by the late Archbishop John Ireland in the late 1870s. Learn more about the colonies and Archbishop Ireland’s vision at my blog Father’s Day 2022, vintage 1953 Irish Kodachromes, also featured at IrishCentral. Read recent feature stories at IrishCentral.
- Path from Ireland to North America– I share details about my family’s journey from Ireland, Canada, and eventually settling in rural Dublin Township, Swift County in Minnesota.
- Double Cousins and more – Learn about my family’s double cousin legacy and more related to family history.
- Forthcoming book – Learn details about forthcoming book on Irish family history. Read more at book page.



Dublin Diaries – I started the series a year ago, and paused the videos while working on my book. Dublin Diaries is about rural Dublin Township, Swift County, Minnesota, along with topics of searching for Irish American roots and more. The township is named in honor of early settlers from Ireland and the capital city of Dublin. You can learn about the series at the page for Dublin Diaries.
About the writer – Jannet L. Walsh, of Murdock, Minnesota, is a photographer, writer, and educator. She is the author of the forthcoming creative nonfiction quest narrative “Higgledy-Piggledy Stones: Family Stories from Ireland and Minnesota,” scheduled for publication in 2023 by Shanti Arts Publishing. She has compiled Irish Genealogy Toolkit, a list of resources for researching your Irish roots. You can follow Walsh on Facebook and Twitter, and her other social media channels.

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