Genetic Genealogy

The DNA Signature of the Dál gCais

We are merely the present-day custodians of our Ancestor’s genes.

1 © Dennis Wright 2014 My Paper Genealogy

• Researching for 40 years

2 My Paper Genealogy

• Researching for 40 years • Brickwall in New Zealand

3 My Paper Genealogy

• Researching for 40 years • Brickwall in New Zealand • Bryan Sykes – Seven Daughters of Eve

4 My Paper Genealogy

• Researching for 40 years • Brickwall in New Zealand • Bryan Sykes – Seven Daughters of Eve • Genetic testing sounded like a tool I could use

5 Introduction to Genetic Genealogy

• ‘Wright’ surname project

6 Introduction to Genetic Genealogy

• ‘Wright’ surname project • Tested 12 markers with Family Tree DNA

7 Introduction to Genetic Genealogy

• ‘Wright’ surname project • Tested 12 markers with Family Tree DNA • No matches

8 Introduction to Genetic Genealogy

• ‘Wright’ surname project • Tested 12 markers with Family Tree DNA • No matches • 12 Markers insufficient for meaningful matching

9 Further Genetic Testing

• 43 marker testing with DNA Heritage

10 Further Genetic Testing

• 43 marker testing with DNA Heritage • R1b Haplotype

11 Further Genetic Testing

• 43 marker testing with DNA Heritage • R1b Haplotype • Common in Western Europe – Spain to Ireland

12 Further Genetic Testing

• 43 marker testing with DNA Heritage • R1b Haplotype • Common in Western Europe – Spain to Ireland • AMH – Atlantic Modal Haplotype

13 Further Genetic Testing

• 43 marker testing with DNA Heritage • R1b Haplotype • Common in Western Europe – Spain to Ireland • AMH – Atlantic Modal Haplotype • . • . • . • . • My values at DYS459=8,9 and • My values at DYS464=13,13,15,16

14 DNA forum at Rootsweb

• [email protected]

15 DNA forum at Rootsweb

• [email protected] • Questioned my DYS459 and DYS464 values

16 DNA forum at Rootsweb

• [email protected] • Questioned my DYS459 and DYS464 values • Dr Ken Nordtvedt – had seen these values before

17 DNA forum at Rootsweb

• [email protected] • Questioned my DYS459 and DYS464 values • Dr Ken Nordtvedt – had seen these values before • Appeared to be Irish – a third cluster

18 A Name for this Cluster

• Previously identified Irish clusters

19 A Name for this Cluster

• Previously identified Irish clusters • NW Irish – the Ui Néill • South Irish – Eóganacht?

20 A Name for this Cluster

• Previously identified Irish clusters • NW Irish – the Ui Néill • South Irish – Eóganacht? • Irish Type III as a name for this third cluster

21 Irish Type III

• How common was this signature?

22 Irish Type III

• How common was this signature? • Ysearch database – www.ysearch.org

23 Irish Type III

• How common was this signature? • Ysearch database – www.ysearch.org • 8 Irish Type III matches, of which 4 were Irish, then 50 with 17 Irish from Clare, Limerick and Tipperary, 3 English and 1 Scottish.

24 Irish Type III

25 Irish Type III website

• www.irishtype3dna.org/ • Set up in December 2006

26 Irish Type III website

• www.irishtype3dna.org/ • Set up in December 2006 • By June 2007 – 200 haplotypes in database

27 Origins of Irish Type III?

• O’Brien was a commonly found name together with variants Bryan and Bryant • as were Hogan, Kennedy, Casey and Crow.

28 Surnames seen in current database

• O’Brien 50 • (O’)Bryan(t) 42 • Casey 33 • Crow(e) 29 • Kennedy 29 • Hogan 28 • McCraw McGra(w)(th) 26 • (O’)Mahony Maloney 20 • Kelly 19 • Butler 15 • Hart(igan) 14 • Carey 13 • O’Neill Neal 13 • Lynch 12 • McNamara 11 • Cain(e) Kane Keane 11

29 Origins of Irish Type III?

• O’Brien was a commonly found name together with variants Bryan and Bryant • as were Hogan, Kennedy, Casey and Crow • Study the Irish Pedigrees – Dalcassian surnames

30 Origins of Irish Type III?

• O’Brien was a commonly found name together with variants Bryan and Bryant • as were Hogan, Kennedy, Casey and Crow • Study the Irish Pedigrees – Dalcassian • 85% from Ireland – 70% from Clare, Limerick, Tipperary and Cork when county known

31 Origins of Irish Type III?

32 Origins of the Dál gCais

33 non-Dalcassian surnames

• Why do non-Dalcassian names carry this signature?

34 non-Dalcassian surnames

• Why do non-Dalcassian names carry this signature? • Not all are NPEs

35 non-Dalcassian surnames

• Why do non-Dalcassian names carry this signature? • Not all are NPEs • Allegiance to the leader

36 non-Dalcassian surnames

• Why do non-Dalcassian names carry this signature? • Not all are NPEs • Allegiance to the leader • Adoptions

37 non-Dalcassian surnames

• Why do non-Dalcassian names carry this signature? • Not all are NPEs • Allegiance to the leader • Adoptions • Taking wife’s name on Property Inheritance

38 non-Dalcassian surnames

• Why do non-Dalcassian names carry this signature? • Not all are NPEs • Allegiance to the leader • Adoptions • Taking wife’s name on Property Inheritance • My personal explanation

39 non-Dalcassian surnames

• Why do non-Dalcassian names carry this signature? • Not all are NPEs • Allegiance to the leader • Adoptions • Taking wife’s name on Property Inheritance • My personal explanation • John O’Brien, convict  John Wright, blacksmith

40 Age of the Irish Type III cluster

• Initial mutation rate calculations – 1,000 years old

41 Age of the Irish Type III cluster

• Initial mutation rate calculations – 1,000 years old • Anatole Klyosov calculated Irish Type III as 1175 ±135 years old – so originated 690 – 960AD

42 Age of the Irish Type III cluster

• Initial mutation rate calculations – 1,000 years old • Anatole Klyosov calculated Irish Type III as 1175 ±135 years old – so originated 690 – 960AD • Could be Centuries older?

43 Significant Irish Type III Markers

• As well as DYS459 and DYS464 several other markers differ from the AMH

44 The DNA Signature of Dál gCais

45 McEvoy, Simms and Bradley paper

• “Genetic Investigation of the Patrilineal Kinship Structure of Early Medieval Ireland” – 2008 • Am J Phys Anthropol. 2008 Aug;136(4):415-22

46 McEvoy, Simms and Bradley paper

• “Genetic Investigation of the Patrilineal Kinship Structure of Early Medieval Ireland” – 2008 • The data used consisted of only 17 markers

47 McEvoy, Simms and Bradley paper

• “Genetic Investigation of the Patrilineal Kinship Structure of Early Medieval Ireland” – 2008 • The data used consisted of only 17 markers • Definitive Irish Type III markers DYS459 and DYS464 were not used

48 Journal of Genetic Genealogy

• “A Set of Distinctive Markers Defines a Y-STR Signature for Gaelic Dalcassian Families”

• www.jogg.info/51/files/Wright.pdf

49 Journal of Genetic Genealogy

• “A Set of Distinctive Markers Defines a Y-STR Signature for Gaelic Dalcassian Families”

• www.jogg.info/51/files/Wright.pdf • Dál gCais signature known since 2006

50 FTDNA “Walk the Y”

• Extended SNP test over 100,000 bases in 2009

51 FTDNA “Walk the Y”

• Extended SNP test over 100,000 bases in 2009 • 10 Irish Type III men contributed $75 each to have a member tested

52 FTDNA “Walk the Y”

• Extended SNP test over 100,000 bases in 2009 • 10 Irish Type III men contributed $75 each to have a member tested • Kevin O’Brien selected as he:- – Matched the Irish Type III modal at 25 markers – Was an O'Brien, the principal family of the Dalcassians – Could demonstrate his pedigree originated in Co. Clare, Ireland – Had tested 76 markers

53 New SNP found – L226

• At position 19048724, Thomas Krahn found Kevin O’Brien to be derived “T” rather than ancestral “C” • He named this SNP, L226

54 Was L226 Definitive for Irish Type III?

• L226 available to order – October 2009

55 Was L226 Definitive for Irish Type III?

• L226 available to order – October 2009 • Three possibilities:- – L226 is a 'private' marker found only in Kevin O'Brien and his immediate family (perhaps back 100-500 years). – L226 is a defining marker for the Irish Type III cluster and appears in no other clusters. (so perhaps 800 - 1,200 years old) – L226 is downstream of L21 but occurs more generally, across several clusters. (Perhaps 1,500- 3,000 years old)

56 Was L226 Definitive for Irish Type III?

• L226 available to order – October 2009 • Those with Irish Type III signature all L226+ • Those non-Irish Type III all L226-

57 L226 is Definitive for Dál gCais

• L226 available to order – October 2009 • Those with Irish Type III signature all L226+ • Those non-Irish Type III all L226-

• L226 is shown to be defining for the Dál gCais

58 R-L226 Project started at FTDNA

• In Dec 2009 the R-L226 project was started https://www.familytreedna.com/public/R- L226_Project/default.aspx • Or Google R-L226 FTDNA

59 R-L226 Project started at FTDNA

• In Dec 2009 the R-L226 project was started https://www.familytreedna.com/public/R- L226_Project/default.aspx • Or Google R-L226 FTDNA • 200 members in 2014

60 R-L226 Project started at FTDNA

• In Dec 2009 the R-L226 project was started https://www.familytreedna.com/public/R- L226_Project/default.aspx • Or Google R-L226 FTDNA • 200 members in 2014 • Results separated into STR clusters/branches

61 Number of Dál gCais haplotypes

• 940 distinct haplotypes in the database • 740 viewable in public database https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/14028750/S TRMarkersResults2007.xlsx

• The balance are, Sorenson, Ancestry and Surname projects without FTDNA Kit Numbers

62 Next Generation Sequencing, NGS

• FTDNA launches ‘Big-Y’ in November 2013

63 Next Generation Sequencing, NGS

• FTDNA launches ‘Big-Y’ in November 2013 • Searches 12 million bases on the ‘Y’

64 Next Generation Sequencing, NGS

• FTDNA launches ‘Big-Y’ in November 2013 • Searches 12 million bases on the ‘Y’ • Checks 36,564 known SNPs

65 Next Generation Sequencing, NGS

• FTDNA launches ‘Big-Y’ in November 2013 • Searches 12 million bases on the ‘Y’ • Checks 36,564 known SNPs • Finds new or novel SNPs

66 Next Generation Sequencing, NGS

• FTDNA launches ‘Big-Y’ in November 2013 • Searches 12 million bases on the ‘Y’ • Checks 36,564 known SNPs • Finds new or novel SNPs • Six Irish Type III men signed up for testing

67 Big-Y Results

• 20 SNPs parallel to L226

68 Big-Y Results

• 20 SNPs parallel to L226 • Are they before or after the emergence of L226?

69 Big-Y Results

• 20 SNPs parallel to L226 • Are they before or after the emergence of L226? • Two new Branching SNPs FGS5628 and DC1

70 Big-Y Results

• 20 SNPs parallel to L226 • Are they before or after the emergence of L226? • Two new Branching SNPs FGS5628 and DC1 • FGC5628 an early branch as five of the six +ve

71 Big-Y Results

• 20 SNPs parallel to L226 • Are they before or after the emergence of L226? • Two new Branching SNPs FGS5628 and DC1 • FGC5628 an early branch as five of the six +ve • DC1 a later branch with two of the five DC1+

72 Big-Y Results

73 Big-Y Results

74 Position of L226

• Under L21 there is a chain to L226 • L21 > DF13 > Z253 > Z2534 > L226

75 Time of separation from Z2534

• Average 15.7 Private SNPs from L226 in our 6 men

76 Time of separation from Z2534

• Average 15.7 Private SNPs from L226 in our 6 men • 1175 years to MRCA / 15.7 SNPs is 74.8years/SNP

77 Time of separation from Z2534

• Average 15.7 Private SNPs from L226 in our 6 men • 1175 years to MRCA / 15.7 SNPs is 74.8years/SNP • 21 SNPs parallel to L226 x 74.8 is 1,570 years

78 Time of separation from Z2534

• Average 15.7 Private SNPs from L226 in our 6 men • 1175 years to MRCA / 15.7 SNPs is 74.8years/SNP • 21 SNPs parallel to L226 x 74.8 is 1,570 years • MRCA for Dál gCais lived 690 – 960AD so Dál gCais branched from Z2534, 1,000 – 500BC

79 Time of separation from Z2534

80 The Year of Brian Bóruma

• The most famous Dalcassian – Brian Boru • Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig 941 - 1014

81 The Year of Brian Bóruma

• The most famous Dalcassian – Brian Boru • Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig 941 – 1014 • Battle of Clontarf 23 April 1014

82 Brian Boru Millennium

• Many re-enactments in 2014 • Born at Killaloe • Ruled Ireland from palace at Kincora, Killaloe • Anointed King of Ireland at Rock of Cashel • Killed at Clontarf, Dublin 23 April 1014 • Buried at Armagh

83 The DNA Signature of the Dál gCais

• Dál gCais DNA lives on in thousands of men throughout the world

84 The DNA Signature of the Dál gCais

• Dál gCais DNA lives on in thousands of men throughout the world

• I am truly proud to be part of this significant clan

Thank You

We are merely the present-day custodians of our Ancestor’s genes