Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Scientists discover most fertile Irish male
Reuters on Yahoo ^ | 1/17/06 | Siobhan Kennedy

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.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: ancientautopsies; ancientnavigation; bigpimpin; boyle; discover; dna; evolution; fartyshadesofgreen; gallagher; genealogy; godsgravesglyphs; helixmakemineadouble; humangenetics; ireland; irish; male; mostfertile; mtdna; niall; niallofthe9hostages; ninehostages; odoherty; odonnell; polygamy; scientists
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101-111 next last
To: SunkenCiv; NormsRevenge

My wife was part Irish....so does the chromosome link show up in my son....I have no known links to Ireland.


81 posted on 01/17/2006 11:17:32 AM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach (History is soon Forgotten,)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 68 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge
I knew it.....

?8^)
82 posted on 01/17/2006 11:28:23 AM PST by hummingbird (And, yes, I am wearing my Notre Dame T-Shirt today!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: aculeus; NormsRevenge; Happygal; Colosis; Black Line; Cucullain; SomeguyfromIreland; Youngblood; ...

Thanks for the ping aculeus!!

I'm probably not a descendant - because apparently I am a 'Westbrit', at least according to Sinn Feiners....


83 posted on 01/17/2006 11:58:46 AM PST by Irish_Thatcherite (~~~A vote for Bertie Ahern is a vote for Gerry Adams!~~~)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies]

To: dighton; aculeus

The infertile Irish Mail

84 posted on 01/17/2006 12:31:31 PM PST by MozarkDawg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies]

To: MississippiDeltaDawg

Good grief! I've completely forgot about those things. Don't recall if I ever owned one but remember riding on one as kid ... too many years ago.


85 posted on 01/17/2006 12:52:30 PM PST by aculeus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 84 | View Replies]

To: MississippiDeltaDawg; aculeus

That must pre-date the chain....


86 posted on 01/17/2006 1:06:30 PM PST by Irish_Thatcherite (~~~A vote for Bertie Ahern is a vote for Gerry Adams!~~~)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 84 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge; martin_fierro; blam; thefactor
Here's a great site for haplotype info and

Here's Laise Moore's Irish Haplotype data (and it turns out that I am quite close to the Ue Niell type).

87 posted on 01/17/2006 1:08:54 PM PST by Pharmboy (The stone age didn't end because they ran out of stones.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge

I wonder if he was a red-head.


88 posted on 01/17/2006 1:17:01 PM PST by trillabodilla (Jesus Saves)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AntiGuv

If I'm not mistaken, Abram was a descendant of Noah's son, Shem.


89 posted on 01/17/2006 1:21:09 PM PST by trillabodilla (Jesus Saves)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge

Gotta mention Finn McCool.


90 posted on 01/17/2006 1:53:21 PM PST by Mike Darancette (Mesocons for Rice '08)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge; Jimmy Valentine's brother

A Salute to the red hand of the O'Neill (which as it appears on their crest) and in history was his left hand.


91 posted on 01/17/2006 2:28:36 PM PST by Jimmy Valentine (DemocRATS - when they speak, they lie; when they are silent, they are stealing the American Dream)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AntiGuv
"Niall of the Nine Hostages was not the first person to settle on the island"

No but he formally claimed it. Legend has it that he and a competitor saw the island at the same time and raced their boats to be first to set foot on the island to make their claim. Niall was behind in the race and to make sure he won, he cut off his left hand and threw it ahead to touch the island first.

This is why the family crest of the O'Neal has a left hand in red on it.

92 posted on 01/17/2006 2:36:39 PM PST by Jimmy Valentine (DemocRATS - when they speak, they lie; when they are silent, they are stealing the American Dream)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies]

To: Mikey_1962

The Black and Tan is an American invention. No self respecting Irishman would contaminate his Guiness with Bass.


93 posted on 01/17/2006 2:44:26 PM PST by Natural Law
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Jimmy Valentine

Cool! I think I'd heard that legend before a long time ago but I didn't recall it until you mentioned it.


94 posted on 01/17/2006 3:01:23 PM PST by AntiGuv (™)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 92 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge; All

Niall the Nailer.


95 posted on 01/17/2006 3:05:27 PM PST by Mr. Jazzy (Bumper sticker "Martyrs or Marines: Who do YOU think will get the virgins?")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: nutmeg

How could I not click?


96 posted on 01/17/2006 7:17:35 PM PST by evilC ([573]Tag Server Error, Tag not found)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 77 | View Replies]

To: Irish_Thatcherite

Well, there's an O'Niel in my family tree.


97 posted on 01/17/2006 7:23:50 PM PST by Dan from Michigan ("What does a guy have to do to get fired around here?" - Darryl Rogers, former Lions Coach)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 83 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

:')


98 posted on 01/17/2006 8:42:47 PM PST by SunkenCiv (In the long run, there is only the short run.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 81 | View Replies]

To: NormsRevenge; martin_fierro; blam; SunkenCiv
Well lookee what I found here:

The Washingtons are of unusual antiquity in European terms, let alone American ones. A direct male ancestry has been traced back to William de Wessington or Wessyngton (i.e., Washington, a town in Tyne and Wear, formerly County Durham, in northern England), who was living in the late 12th century. The remoter ancestry is not absolutely certain but a detailed argument has been put forward for William de Wessington's descent in the male line from Eochu Mugmedon, High King of Ireland in the mid-4th century, through his son Niall of the Nine Hostages. Niall reigned as King of Ireland at a time when the Romans had not yet gone home to Italy from across the water in Britain. Indeed he may have been the Irish king who waged war on Stilicho, father-in-law of the Emperor Honorius who was the last Roman ruler of Britain. From Eochu and Niall descend the O'Neills, the oldest family traceable in the male line in Europe.

If the link between William de Wessington and Eochu is accepted, it makes Washington the first of many American Presidents with direct male line Irish ancestry, though he must have been the only one not to boast about it to win votes.

99 posted on 01/18/2006 3:37:22 AM PST by Pharmboy (The stone age didn't end because they ran out of stones.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Natural Law

Its American all right but just like St Pat's it has made its way back to Ireland. I had quite a few in Sligo!


100 posted on 01/18/2006 5:35:22 AM PST by Mikey_1962 (I grew up in a slum, when I got to college it had become a "ghetto".)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 93 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101-111 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson