Not to be confused with the Smurfette Institute of Genetics. 
Posted on 01/17/2006 9:16:45 AM PST by NormsRevenge
DUBLIN (Reuters) - Scientists in Ireland may have found the country's most fertile male, with more than 3 million men worldwide among his offspring.
The scientists, from Trinity College Dublin, have discovered that as many as one in twelve Irish men could be descended from Niall of the Nine Hostages, a 5th-century warlord who was head of the most powerful dynasty in ancient Ireland.
His genetic legacy is almost as impressive as Genghis Khan, the Mongol emperor who conquered most of Asia in the 13th century and has nearly 16 million descendants, said Dan Bradley, who supervised the research.
"It's another link between profligacy and power," Bradley told Reuters. "We're the first generation on the planet where if you're successful you don't (always) have more children."
The research was carried out by PhD student Laoise Moore, at the Smurfit Institute of Genetics at Trinity. Moore, testing the Y chromosome which is passed on from fathers to sons, examined DNA samples from 800 males across Ireland.
The results -- which have been published in the American Journal of Human Genetics -- showed the highest concentration of related males in northwest Ireland, where one in five males had the same Y chromosome.
Bradley said the results reminded the team of a similar study in central Asia, where scientists found 8 percent of men with the same Y chromosome. Subsequent studies found they shared the same chromosome as the dynasty linked to Genghis Khan.
GENGHIS KHAN EFFECT
"It made us wonder if there could be some sort of Genghis Khan effect in Ireland and the best candidate for it was Niall," Bradley said.
His team then consulted with genealogical experts who provided them with a contemporary list of people with surnames that are genealogically linked to the last known relative of the "Ui Neill" dynasty, which literally means descendants of Niall.
The results showed the new group had the same chromosome as those in the original sample, proving a link between them and the Niall descendents.
"The frequency (of the Y chromosome) was significantly higher in that genealogical group than any other group we tested," said Bradley, whose surname is also linked to the medieval warlord. Other modern surnames tracing their ancestry to Niall include Gallagher, Boyle, O'Donnell and O'Doherty.
For added proof, the scientists used special techniques to age the Y chromosome, according to how many mutations had occurred in the genetic material over time. The number of mutations was found to be in accordance with chromosomes that would date back to the last known living relative of Niall.
Niall reportedly had 12 sons, many of whom became powerful Irish kings themselves. But because he lived in the 5th century, there have been doubts the king -- who is said to have brought the country's patron saint, Patrick, to Ireland -- even existed.
"Before I would have said that characters like Niall were almost mythological, like King Arthur, but this actually puts flesh on the bones," Bradley said.
When international databases were checked, the chromosome also turned up in roughly 2 percent of all male New Yorkers.
Nope. Jews come from the tribe of Judah. Adam and Noah lived log before that.
Neither Noah nor Adam were "Jewish" and neither was Abraham, Issac or Jacob.........
I guess I should reconsider my stance on corned beef and cabbage.
Well! That accounts for all the years of internal war.
SIBLING RIVALRY
1500 years form now they'll probably be saying the same thing about some current NBA player. (Or perhaps a sperm donor.)
I read somewhere that one out of seven Europeans (or something along those lines) are descended from Charlemagne. Given the state of Europe today, you wouldn't know it...
Jefferson Smurfit is a BIG packaging company in the US. My brother-in-law is a chemist working for them.
LOL. Ron Jeremy rocks.
The notion of me being distantly related to Kerry & Kennedy is revolting no matter how far back you go.
Not to be confused with the Smurfette Institute of Genetics.
How does this guy compare to Wilt Chamberlain?
"I'm pretty sure Noah and Adam were supposed to be Jewish, not Irish."
Legend has it that Jeremiah of the OT brought the daughters of Zedekiah to 'Ireland'. I have not read about any DNA testing done to discover the veracity of that legend. Would not be politically correct to consider that possibility.
Good One!!
I see. Good points!
There is absolutely nothing in genetic research to even remotely suggest even the most infinitesimal possibility of one-family bottleneck in human genetics within the timeframe that the mythical Noah and Adam would've lived.
Probably MUCH shorter...and paler.
"Jewish, not Irish?"
Haven't you ever heard of an Irish-Jew?
ya might want to read this
http://www.somethingjewish.co.uk/regional_jews/ireland_jews/
I was really afraid to say anything....thanks. ;-)
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