DNA testing

[Aerlik]

About four years ago, I received an email from a person who had the same not-so-common East Derry surname.  That person was from Belfast and now living in the USA, but based on his previous research and correspondence with a few in the USA, it transpires that we are related through a common ancestor who lived in the mid-19th. century.  Then it got interesting;  I received a follow-up email from a lady from the USA who, having corresponded with the man from Belfast turns out to be related to me through a man who shares my surname and who left Ireland in 1755.

Has any other member of this Board been involved in such research, and if so what have the outcomes been?  Through our efforts we have managed to go even further back to the mid-1600s in our wee town.

[muppet]

After this happened: http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=13605.msg632482#msg632482
.......I got into it in a big way. However I never got the DNA check. I would be interested to hear more about this.

It seems to me once loads of people get it done it will be a fantastic resource, however until that happens you are checking against a very small pool. Still can't make my mind up to check it yet.

[tommysmith]

I though this was going to be about horse meat.

[muppet]

I though this was going to be about horse meat.

Test your DNA and you'd never know! 

[tommysmith]

I though this was going to be about horse meat.

Test your DNA and you'd never know! 

[muppet]

Finally signed up for one.

Waiting on the results.

[LeoMc]

After this happened: http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=13605.msg632482#msg632482
.......I got into it in a big way. However I never got the DNA check. I would be interested to hear more about this.

It seems to me once loads of people get it done it will be a fantastic resource, however until that happens you are checking against a very small pool. Still can't make my mind up to check it yet.

Even you tested all of South Derry you would still have a very small pool.

[ludermor]

Finally signed up for one.

Waiting on the results.

Which one did you sign up for muppet?

[Orior]

I did the whole family research thing about 12-15 years ago, and which culminated in me organising an extended family reunion in County Meath. There was over 100 at it, with fourth cousins from all over planet Earth.  Yes, 12-15 years too early for any Gadderin funding. 

Never did do the DNA thing though. Can you explain what it is about in nice simple Fisher Price terms. I'm too lazy to google - think it is in my genes.

[muppet]

Finally signed up for one.

Waiting on the results.

Which one did you sign up for muppet?

FTDNA in Texas.

[muppet]

Results finally starting to come in.

I don't understand the science so I have a lot of homework to do. There are matches with names that don't make sense to me but when I understand the science better it might be easier to understand.

One interesting thing is that my Paternal ancestors have been here a long time, before the Celts and subsequent arrivals. It seems we were here before 99% of the Irish arrived.

[haveaharp]

Results finally starting to come in.

I don't understand the science so I have a lot of homework to do. There are matches with names that don't make sense to me but when I understand the science better it might be easier to understand.

One interesting thing is that my Paternal ancestors have been here a long time, before the Celts and subsequent arrivals. It seems we were here before 99% of the Irish arrived.

Can they be that specific ? What sort of era are they able to get back to ?

[muppet]

Results finally starting to come in.

I don't understand the science so I have a lot of homework to do. There are matches with names that don't make sense to me but when I understand the science better it might be easier to understand.

One interesting thing is that my Paternal ancestors have been here a long time, before the Celts and subsequent arrivals. It seems we were here before 99% of the Irish arrived.

Can they be that specific ? What sort of era are they able to get back to ?

(NB: Take this with a serious health warning as I have only been reading this for the last few days and don't really understand how they came up with this info.)

Using genetic mutations as markers they can tell which descendant lines/branches, from our common ancestors in Africa, we are likely to have come from. One of mine appears to have happened when the North Sea was inhabited land (Doggerland) and thus it is likely that my ancestors lived there, probably around 13,000 years ago. When the water rose and cut Britain and Ireland off from Europe it appears that some of these people were cut off from Europe and lived on the Islands. Some appear to have been 'pushed' west and appear in Connacht from an early stage (Neolithic apparently) which predates the Celts etc.

If anyone can shed some clear light on how exactly they determine the various Haplogroups and Sub-Clades I would appreciate it.

[stephenite]

Wow, Muppet's the Fir bolg, the original Paddy.

That's mad

[armaghniac]

Perhaps Fir Bolgs were all Muppets!

also see
http://www.irishtimes.com/is-distinctive-dna-marker-proof-of-ancient-genocide-1.1426197