About us
Background
Until about 4,000 years ago, Ireland was inhabited by Mediterranean-type people. The genetically closest present-day populations are not in Ireland, but in Spain and Sardinia. During the Bronze Age, which was ushered in by the Celts, newcomers arrived from the eastern fringe of Europe, the Pontic Steppes in modern-day Ukraine. They buried their dead with drinking vessels, therefore the name "beaker folk". Three "beaker folk" males buried about 4,000 years ago on Rathlin Island, Ireland, were DNA tested as Y-DNA haplogroups L21, DF21 (probably S5488 sub clade) and DF21 (Rathlin1 was the Z30233 sub clade). Moyveela138 in Co Galwwas dated to about 4,100 BC and found to be another DF21 cyst burial.
Already, DF21 had split into the major sub clades of Z30233, S5488, FGC3213 and Z16727. These survive in major clan groupings such as the Airghialla of South Ulster (Z16267), the Seven Septs of Laois (Z30233), Ely O'Carroll (S5488) and the leading Eóganacht dynasty of south Munster (FGC3213). These clans held their lands and their identity down to the Elizabethan and Cromwellian Confiscations. The epicentre of these clans appears to be where the frontiers of the ancient kingdoms of archaic Ulster, Connaught, Munster and Leinster once met. DF21 is likely to pre-date these kingdoms, which are what the Anglo-Normans encountered when they invaded Ireland in 1169.
Other smaller DF21 septs which once ruled independently in their own territory had become attached to the courts of the major dynasties of Ulster, Connaught, Munster and Leinster, and settled on the frontiers of the four provinces. One major upheaval was when the subject tribe, the Deisi, threw off their shackles, recreated themselves as the Dal gCais, and conquered north Munster from the Eoganacht. This process commenced with Lughaidh Meann in the 3rd Century and continued by Oengus mac Nad Froich, first Christian king of Munster. The Coenraige who had given their name to Kenry, Co Limerick, and the Tradraige who had given their name to Tradree, Co Clare, were pushed north into south Galway to become the Coenraige Ardrahan and the Tradraige Dubh-ros, keeping their old tribal name from their former territory and attaching it to their new territory in south Galway. The Dealbhna, whose tribal legends indicate that they once lived in close proximity to the Tradraige, were dispersed across Galway and Westmeath.
Others like the Ruadraige remained in the lands of Corcomroe and the Burren, Co Clare, under increased pressure from the Dal gCais, and ultimately acknowledging their overlordship.
The use of these tribal names is based upon the surnames associated with those tribes forming a cluster with DF21. This is not to exclude anyone else. It is noted, for instance, that the A663 clade of CTS4466 includes a Doorey (variant of Devoy) vs a Devoy & 3 Devines in DF21, nil Dorans, (also nil in DF21), a Dowling (11 in DF21), nil Kellys (12 in DF21), 2 Lalors (7 in DF21), 5 McEvoys (nil in DF21) and 15 Moores (9 in DF21). The Gaelic genealogies are little help in solving this, as they make O'Modha (Moore) and O'Lalor to be from the Clanna Rory of Ulster, and the others to be Laighin (which should make them R-L159, but they are not), and the McEvoys to be Clan Colla and thus the S971 clade of DF21, but they are not. Nor are the Ruadraige (i.e. Clanna Rory) clans of North Clare the same clade as the Moores.
Phylogenetics
For more information on the R-DF21 haplotree structure, please see the tree below, or visit:
Until about 4,000 years ago, Ireland was inhabited by Mediterranean-type people. The genetically closest present-day populations are not in Ireland, but in Spain and Sardinia. During the Bronze Age, which was ushered in by the Celts, newcomers arrived from the eastern fringe of Europe, the Pontic Steppes in modern-day Ukraine. They buried their dead with drinking vessels, therefore the name "beaker folk". Three "beaker folk" males buried about 4,000 years ago on Rathlin Island, Ireland, were DNA tested as Y-DNA haplogroups L21, DF21 (probably S5488 sub clade) and DF21 (Rathlin1 was the Z30233 sub clade). Moyveela138 in Co Galwwas dated to about 4,100 BC and found to be another DF21 cyst burial.
Already, DF21 had split into the major sub clades of Z30233, S5488, FGC3213 and Z16727. These survive in major clan groupings such as the Airghialla of South Ulster (Z16267), the Seven Septs of Laois (Z30233), Ely O'Carroll (S5488) and the leading Eóganacht dynasty of south Munster (FGC3213). These clans held their lands and their identity down to the Elizabethan and Cromwellian Confiscations. The epicentre of these clans appears to be where the frontiers of the ancient kingdoms of archaic Ulster, Connaught, Munster and Leinster once met. DF21 is likely to pre-date these kingdoms, which are what the Anglo-Normans encountered when they invaded Ireland in 1169.
Other smaller DF21 septs which once ruled independently in their own territory had become attached to the courts of the major dynasties of Ulster, Connaught, Munster and Leinster, and settled on the frontiers of the four provinces. One major upheaval was when the subject tribe, the Deisi, threw off their shackles, recreated themselves as the Dal gCais, and conquered north Munster from the Eoganacht. This process commenced with Lughaidh Meann in the 3rd Century and continued by Oengus mac Nad Froich, first Christian king of Munster. The Coenraige who had given their name to Kenry, Co Limerick, and the Tradraige who had given their name to Tradree, Co Clare, were pushed north into south Galway to become the Coenraige Ardrahan and the Tradraige Dubh-ros, keeping their old tribal name from their former territory and attaching it to their new territory in south Galway. The Dealbhna, whose tribal legends indicate that they once lived in close proximity to the Tradraige, were dispersed across Galway and Westmeath.
Others like the Ruadraige remained in the lands of Corcomroe and the Burren, Co Clare, under increased pressure from the Dal gCais, and ultimately acknowledging their overlordship.
The use of these tribal names is based upon the surnames associated with those tribes forming a cluster with DF21. This is not to exclude anyone else. It is noted, for instance, that the A663 clade of CTS4466 includes a Doorey (variant of Devoy) vs a Devoy & 3 Devines in DF21, nil Dorans, (also nil in DF21), a Dowling (11 in DF21), nil Kellys (12 in DF21), 2 Lalors (7 in DF21), 5 McEvoys (nil in DF21) and 15 Moores (9 in DF21). The Gaelic genealogies are little help in solving this, as they make O'Modha (Moore) and O'Lalor to be from the Clanna Rory of Ulster, and the others to be Laighin (which should make them R-L159, but they are not), and the McEvoys to be Clan Colla and thus the S971 clade of DF21, but they are not. Nor are the Ruadraige (i.e. Clanna Rory) clans of North Clare the same clade as the Moores.
Phylogenetics
For more information on the R-DF21 haplotree structure, please see the tree below, or visit:
- The official ISOGG Haplogroup R tree at www.isogg.org