The scale and nature of Viking settlement in Ireland from Y-chromosome admixture analysis

European Journal of Human Genetics ^ | September 6, 2006 | Brian McEvoy, Claire Brady, Laoise T Moore and Daniel G Bradley

[CobaltBlue]

The Vikings (or Norse) played a prominent role in Irish history but, despite this, their genetic legacy in Ireland, which may provide insights into the nature and scale of their immigration, is largely unexplored. Irish surnames, some of which are thought to have Norse roots, are paternally inherited in a similar manner to Y-chromosomes. The correspondence of Scandinavian patrilineal ancestry in a cohort of Irish men bearing surnames of putative Norse origin was examined using both slow mutating unique event polymorphisms and relatively rapidly changing short tandem repeat Y-chromosome markers. Irish and Scandinavian admixture proportions were explored for both systems using six different admixture estimators, allowing a parallel investigation of the impact of method and marker type in Y-chromosome admixture analysis. Admixture proportion estimates in the putative Norse surname group were highly consistent and detected little trace of Scandinavian ancestry. In addition, there is scant evidence of Scandinavian Y-chromosome introgression in a general Irish population sample. Although conclusions are largely dependent on the accurate identification of Norse surnames, the findings are consistent with a relatively small number of Norse settlers (and descendents) migrating to Ireland during the Viking period (ca. AD 800–1200) suggesting that Norse colonial settlements might have been largely composed of indigenous Irish. This observation adds to previous genetic studies that point to a flexible Viking settlement approach across North Atlantic Europe.

[norton]

"The greatest incidence of red hair occurs in Wales.."

Wasn't expecting that one.
does anyone know if the 'little people' were supposed to be redheads or something other?

[muawiyah]

The "little people" were, if we can believe their skeletons found along the coast in North Africa, were very similar to the Kalahari Bushmen. Presumably they ranged up into the British Isles from an earlier time before ocean levels rose.

Today's Bushmen have peppercorn hair growing in "tufts" like Mongolian grass.

[GoLightly]

If you had said Scotland instead of Scandinavia I wouldn't have asked what you were talking about.

[ValerieUSA]

I had always thought the Vikings who plundered the Irish coast were so enamoured of the beautiful redhaired women there, that they took them back home with them. Check Scandinavia for Irish blood.

[ValerieUSA]

I should have read more of the thread before posting.

[blam]

"...speaking of ancient roots... ;')"

Ahem. Watch-it kiddo!

[blam]

"The "little people" were, if we can believe their skeletons found along the coast in North Africa, were very similar to the Kalahari Bushmen. Presumably they ranged up into the British Isles from an earlier time before ocean levels rose."

I've read at least one anthropologist speculate that the Leprechauns of Irish myth were in fact Bushmen.

[muawiyah]

The Scandinavians did a bit less plundering of Ireland than they did elsewhere. The Irish were a rough lot in those days ~

[norton]

Leprechauns were what I was aiming for:
Speculation that they were in fact migrants from N. Africa?
Assume very, very, early ones?

[muawiyah]

Maybe not "migrants" at all ~ they've found these skeletons in numerous coastal areas in Western Europe and UK as well.

They date from BEFORE our type of folks came around.

[Fraxinus]

The Scandinavians did a bit less plundering of Ireland than they did elsewhere.

I suspect that a dearth of readily portable wealth had some thing to do with their lack of plundering, once the monasteries had been plundered, the only other major source of transportable wealth in Ireland was cattle and cattle can be a bit difficult to take on an extended voyage in small boats.

[muawiyah]

Scandinavia suffered from a major food shortage so there were real limits to how many red headed women they could cart home.

I was reading the other day that for about 300 years the Frisian people (the original Angels, in Anglo-Saxon) were no longer able to live on their islands in the North Sea and the Baltic so they set up settlements in Scandinavia and on the European mainland ~ much to everyone's distress.

One strange group eh?

Anyway, their big business was the slave trade, so it's possible the Scandinavians themselves weren't really doing the slave raids.

[potlatch]

Ping of interest

[Wallace T.]

I don't think there is anything new here. Previous genetic studies have shown that the Scandinavian influence in Ireland is minimal. The English and Norman genetic influence is far more substantial. The large numbers of Irish, including Irish Catholics, with English or Norman surnames, are immediate evidence of the connection. Additionally, the incidence of blond hair is higher in eastern Ireland, where the English and Normans had a greater and longer presence, than in the west of that country. Western Ireland has a higher prevalence of Gaelic surnames and a greater frequency of "Old European" genes, similar to those of the Basques. Looking at prominent Irishmen and Irish-Americans, you have Nordic types (Bill O'Reilly), Mediterranean types (Dermot Mulroney), and "Celtic" types (Maureen O'Hara).

[devolve]

[potlatch]

LOL, a lot going on in the dark behind him! You do know he is scary looking, intense? Green moon too!

[devolve]

Connor MacLeod from "HIGHLANDER"

I did some BG work on that one

The green moon fits the thread well

[potlatch]

[blam]

"Speculation that they were in fact migrants from N. Africa?"

I've read three books on the Bushmen years ago. Their myths/legends suggest that they were more widespread in ancient times and the population presently in Southern Africa is a remnant population.

BTW. The Bushmen are physically different that all other humans on earth. The females have a peculiar 'apron' over the vagina and the males have a perpetual semi erect penis. They also have 'pointy' ears and love to dance around fires all night. They are very shy and never fight...they always run when confronted.(Leprachauns). There are no longer any full blooded Bushmen anymore and have mixed blood with the Bantu.

Then, there are the Irish Fomorians.

"The Fomorians were an ancient sea-faring race it is thought that they originally came from Northern Africa or Asia as they are described as having dark hair and dark skin in the original accounts."

The Fomorians by John Duncan Scottish 19th century artist

IMO, the Fomorians are probably the source of the 'Black Irish.

[Barnacle]

The Norsemen are responsible for the name Russia, from Rus meaning red. If red hair was common among the Norsemen, I doubt they'd name a different population based on it.

You've got a point there. Or, is there "red" in reference to a premonition that Russia would someday go Commie?

?;^T