South Irish DNA

Last Autumn I agreed that my DNA sample which is held in America by 'Family Tree DNA' (FTDNA) should undergo a new test which is known as a Deep Clade test. Before this test the haplogroup (= a population descended from a common ancestor), to which I had been assigned as a result of the initial analysis, I reported on in this blog on 18 April 2011. A couple of weeks ago I received the result of the Deep Clade test (clade = sub-section of a haplogroup), which does not change my DNA result but does narrow down the section of the haplogroup to which I belong. All this is shown diagrammatically on something called a haplotree. Most sections of a haplotree indicate the place of origin of your ancestors and have appropriate Projects associated with them. I simply had an email telling me that I had been removed from the Project concerned with my haplotree reference, R1b1* and that now I had been assigned to section R1b1a2a1a1b4 (R-L21 for short).

It is possible on the FTDNA website to discover whether a particular haplotree section has a Project associated with it. I found that my new group did indeed have such a project and that it is called the 'South Irish Project'. This is the first time it has been suggested that from DNA evidence our name has distant origins in the South of Ireland, though perhaps we shouldn't be surprised in the light of the paper trail which has taken us to Lismore in County Waterford - see my blogs of 2009, Feb 3,8,13; 2010 Nov 13; and 2011, May 25, Oct 23, and Dec 3,4.

The R-L21 South Irish Project has many surnames associated with it, including O'Sullivan and McCarthy to which I have referred in our paper trail - see blogs on 2009, Feb 8; 2012, Nov 13, and 2011 Jan 9. I have been in touch with the Project administrator and as and when I hear anything of interest I will let you know.