kiss me, i'm still Irish
2010-Mar-17, Wednesday 11:45 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mellowtiggerI confirmed last year via genetic testing that I am indeed Irish. (As is President Obama, for anyone who cares.) Since then, a few interesting things have happened.
First, I have received 3 notifications from the 23andme website that they have identified other people that they believe are distant relatives of mine. I have not pursued any of these leads, but I find it fascinating nevertheless. I don't follow my lineage at 1 generation, so why pursue them 5+ generations away?
Second, people may individually choose to share genetic information with you. I have had only one Walker surname attempt to share. Again, I have not pursued any of these invitations, but I still like the idea that such interactions are possible.
Third, my subtype was further narrowed down. I am officially a member of the R1b1b2a1a2f2 paternal haplogroup. I share this same deeply-specific identification with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
lordalfredhenry. According to the 23andme website:
Researchers have recently discovered that a large subset of men assigned to the haplogroup may be direct male descendants of an Irish king who ruled during the 4th and early 5th centuries. According to Irish history, a king named Niall of the Nine Hostages established the Ui Neill dynasty that ruled the island country for the next millennium. Northwestern Ireland is said to have been the core of Niall's kingdom; and that is exactly where men bearing the genetic signature associated with him are most common. About 17% of men in northwestern Ireland have Y-chromosomes that are exact matches to the signature, and another few percent vary from it only slightly. In New York City, a magnet for Irish immigrants during the 19th and early 20th century, 2% of men have Y-chromosomes matching the Ui Neill signature. Genetic analysis suggests that all these men share a common ancestor who lived about 1,700 years ago. Among men living in northwestern Ireland today that date is closer to 1,000 years ago. Those dates neatly bracket the era when Niall is supposed to have reigned.
So, kiss me, I'm Irish... and royalty. ;)
First, I have received 3 notifications from the 23andme website that they have identified other people that they believe are distant relatives of mine. I have not pursued any of these leads, but I find it fascinating nevertheless. I don't follow my lineage at 1 generation, so why pursue them 5+ generations away?
Second, people may individually choose to share genetic information with you. I have had only one Walker surname attempt to share. Again, I have not pursued any of these invitations, but I still like the idea that such interactions are possible.
Third, my subtype was further narrowed down. I am officially a member of the R1b1b2a1a2f2 paternal haplogroup. I share this same deeply-specific identification with
lordalfredhenry. According to the 23andme website:Researchers have recently discovered that a large subset of men assigned to the haplogroup may be direct male descendants of an Irish king who ruled during the 4th and early 5th centuries. According to Irish history, a king named Niall of the Nine Hostages established the Ui Neill dynasty that ruled the island country for the next millennium. Northwestern Ireland is said to have been the core of Niall's kingdom; and that is exactly where men bearing the genetic signature associated with him are most common. About 17% of men in northwestern Ireland have Y-chromosomes that are exact matches to the signature, and another few percent vary from it only slightly. In New York City, a magnet for Irish immigrants during the 19th and early 20th century, 2% of men have Y-chromosomes matching the Ui Neill signature. Genetic analysis suggests that all these men share a common ancestor who lived about 1,700 years ago. Among men living in northwestern Ireland today that date is closer to 1,000 years ago. Those dates neatly bracket the era when Niall is supposed to have reigned.So, kiss me, I'm Irish... and royalty. ;)