My mother’s people came from somewhere in the Sahara Desert.
They were nomads who lived around 16,500 years ago, moving from place to place,
carrying all their possessions with them. My DNA test
results have helped to throw some light on my ancestors, and perhaps yours, and
the journey they made to reach the West of Ireland
Ireland's remote geographical position has meant that the
Irish gene-pool has been less susceptible to change, and the same genes have
been passed down from parents to children for thousands of years. Research into
both British and Irish DNA indicate the people of both islands have much in
common genetically. The closest genetic relatives of the Irish in Europe are to
be found in the north of Spain in what is now known as the Basque Country. We
share this common ancestry with the people of Britain and with the people of
Scotland.
The following quote comes from the general preamble to my
results.
“It is important to consider, understand and
perhaps deeply appreciate the fact that the very concept of race is man made.
We live on one planet. Borders and modern day political countries are purely
created by man and do not resemble genetics.
There
is no such thing as a French, British or German person, as, in fact, people,
from what is today called Germany, and people, from what is today called Syria,
are more closely related genetically than two people from Uganda living in
adjoining villages.
Genetic
blueprints are very much shaped by:
Immigration
– Warfare – Migration – Intermarriage – Conquest – Choices
Therefore,
our DNA is a unique combination of genetic markers that are found all over the
world.
We are all made up of all of us.”
Quote from ‘The story of your ancestry as never
told before’
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| William Murphy Famine (1997) on the Custom House Quay in Dublin Photo; Flickr |
The test looked at three areas of my genetic code: Fatherline
(Y-DNA) History, Motherline (mtDNA) History and Family Ancestry (autosomal DNA)
and the results are summarised in the table below. The test results provide a
genetic code or a ‘genetic signature’ which is then compared with various
populations providing a percentage frequency by geographic area. We can then
see where people with our code originated and migrated.
Summary of my DNA test results
Fatherline (Y-DNA) History
|
Motherline (mtDNA) History
|
Haplogroup: R-M222
|
Haplogroup: H1
|
Subclade: R-DF109
|
|
A
predominantly Irish branch of the R-L21 fatherline.
|
Haplogroup
H is predominantly European, originating around 16,500 years ago.
|
My
fatherline signature belongs to the R-M222 group.
|
H1
is found as far as Africa, Central Asia, and Siberia
|
Ireland
– 25%
Scotland
– 10%
England
– 10%
Wales
– 5%
Norway,
Sweden, France, and Orkney Islands – 1% each
|
Populations
from southwest France, Sardinia and the Iberian Peninsula show the highest
levels of H1 within Europe
Tuareg
(Fezzan) – 61%
Basque
– 27%
Portugal
– 25%
Ireland
– 16%
United
Kingdom – 16%
|
Ireland
– 25%
Scotland
– 10%
England
– 10%
Wales
– 5%
Norway,
Sweden, France, and Orkney Islands – 1% each
|
Fatherline (Y-DNA) History
The Y chromosome (YDNA) is passed down from father to son,
which is referred to as the ‘fatherline’. It is the sex chromosome that
determines you are male. So only sons inherit the Y chromosome from their
father.
The haplogroup is a collection of related family lines we are
connected to through the Y chromosome (YDNA). Apparently, I share a common
ancient ancestor with all the people who share my haplogroup. Haplogroups can
be associated with geographic regions, and are also used to trace the ancient
migrations of early humans.
R-M222 is a branch of the larger R-L21 fatherline, which is
itself a branch of the much larger R1b fatherline which was carried by waves of
Indo-European expansions, and which is very common throughout Western Europe.
R-L21 is associated with the northern Atlantic shores of Europe today,
especially in parts of Britain and Brittany. The R-M222 branch of this
fatherline is most frequently found in Ireland.
Subclade R-DF109 is a predominantly Irish branch of the R-L21
fatherline and examples of its distribution in modern society include: Ireland (25%),
Scotland (10%), England (10%) and Wales (5%).
Motherline (mtDNA) History
Haplogroup: H1
Haplogroup H is predominantly European,
originating around 16,500 years ago. Apparently, my motherline signature
belongs to the H1 group. It has been suggested that the carriers of haplogroup
H were involved in the recolonisation of Europe from the Ice Age refuge
locations. Examples of the distribution of H1 in present-day society are: Tuareg (61%), (The Tuareg people
inhabit the Sahara Desert, in a vast area stretching from far southwestern
Libya to southern Algeria, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.), Basque (27%), Portugal
(25%), Ireland (16%) and United Kingdom (16%).
Family Ancestry (autosomal
DNA)
Family ancestry (autosomal
DNA) – looks at ancestry over approximately 5-6 generations
|
|
Europe
(North and West) 2.6%
Europe
(South) 1.7%
|
Great
Britain and Ireland – 95.8%
Southwest Scotland and
Northern Ireland – 36.6%
Ireland – 20.9%
East Anglia – 13.4%
Europe
(North and West) – 2.6%
Scandinavia – 2.6%
Europe
(South) – 1.7%
Basque – 1.7%
|
Family ancestry (autosomal DNA)
Autosomal DNA is passed down from all our ancestors and the
combination makes up our genetic code. A typical code provides the genetic
history going back approximately 10 generations. This gives a percentage
estimate against the population groups that my genetic code is compared
against. For example: Great Britain and Ireland (95.8%), Southwest Scotland and Northern Ireland (36.6%) and Ireland (20.9%).
Great Britain and
Ireland: Ireland
Ireland was unaffected by the Romans and Anglo Saxons who
invaded and settled in neighbouring Britain but did feel the undesired impact
of the Vikings from Scandinavia. The genetic influence of the Viking invasion
may be much smaller than the considerable cultural influences that resulted
from the settlements and raids of the Vikings from 795 AD.
Researchers can still detect the DNA of Nomadic Stone Age
people that first settled Britain at the end of the last ice age – the same
signature that can be found in western Germany, north western France, and
Belgium today. The population of Wales is thought to be the most closely
related to the earliest, most ancient settlers who migrated over after the last
ice age. Not only is Wales genetically unique but North Wales is even
genetically different from the south.
Modern Humans -
Migration
Scientists believe that Modern humans (Homo sapiens) first
appeared around 200,000 years ago in what is now known as Africa. However, a re-evaluation of early human
remains and artefacts from Morocco has suggested that the advent of Homo
sapiens may have to be put
back by 100,000 years. Archaeologists and palaeontologists
believe that the oldest of the fossils comes from 300,000 to 350,000 years ago.
Current scientific understanding shows us that no modern
humans ventured outside Africa before c.120,000 years ago. The first large
scale migration out of Africa happened around 65,000 years ago. Humans reached
India, Australia, and New Guinea 50,000 years ago. This was followed by a wave
of migration into the Middle East and then into Europe c. 45,000 years ago.
Finally, migration into the Americas took place within the last 15,000 years.
 |
| Migration Map Wikipedia |
The direct maternal and paternal lines of all individuals living today come together in single groups of people from around 200,000 years ago.
Genetic diversity out of Africa
Two individuals from
neighbouring villages in Uganda can have greater genetic difference than two
individuals living in the areas now known as Europe, India, or Asia. This shows
how genetic diversity is very limited in modern human beings outside of Africa.
Our changing genes
Every movement of human beings has produced different
challenges. The environment and the way that humans lived meant that the
genetic code of different branches of human beings mutated. Within a population
group those individuals with a certain mutation may have greater survival rates
than those without. Those without the mutation would die at a faster rate and
therefore the mutated gene spreads.
Researchers tell us that the reason many Africans are
naturally resistant to malaria is because 33,000 years ago the genetic
structure of the African population group changed (mutated). Because Europeans
had already migrated out of Africa, they did not carry this mutation and
therefore many are not resistant to malaria.
DNA is a powerful tool which is increasing understanding of our
ancient ancestors, where they came from, how they lived, and the journeys they
made over many thousands of years. My mother was born and died in the same
house in Co. Roscommon, and the Sahara Desert was a distant place. She did,
however, recall carrying farmyard manure on her back as a child to fertilise
the land - like her ancient ancestors who carried their possession across the
desert sands.
For further information you may wish to view the following YouTube videos:
For further information you may wish to view the following YouTube videos:
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