This project is aimed at those whose ancestors are either (i) descended from, or (ii) associated with the McDonnell families from County Armagh and the neighboring regions in the counties of Down, Louth and Monaghan. By the 1500s, this region become home to a new branch of the McDonnell Gallowglasses that were in the service of the main O'Neills of Tyrone and a map of Ulster dated to the year of 1609 references Eimhear Buidhe Mac Domhnaill ('Ever Buye McDonnell the galloglasse his countrie') who held territory west of Slieve Gullion stretching from Belleeks towards Lough Ross. The early history of this McDonnell branch has been documented in the annals and state papers of the period but their influence diminished with the suppression of Gaelic rule and research is ongoing in order to bridge the knowledge gap from the 17th century up to the present generation (see D. M. Schlegel's 'The MacDonnells of Tyrone and Armagh - A Genealogical Study'). In addition to the propagation of the McDonnell (vars. MacDonald, McDonald, McDaniel) surname, many members of this settled-clan later adopted the surnames of Gollogly, McKeown (var. McKeone) and McKeever (var. McIvor) which remained widespread throughout the region over the past centuries. This DNA project is open to anyone who is interested in furthering our knowledge of this wider McDonnell lineage and also the general genealogical research of this border region of South-East Ulster. See links for further reading and background information. Fáilte mhór romhat bheith páirteach má tá an chlann nó an ceantar seo ábhartha do do thaighde gineolais féin.