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Archiver > DNA-R1B1C7 > 2007-06 > 1180918608
From:
Subject: Re: [DNA-R1B1C7] Introduction
Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2007 20:56:48 EDT
In a message dated 6/3/2007 7:44:38 A.M. Central Standard Time,
writes:
I was absolutely blown away by the huge dense cluster which I did find. In
my unpublished manuscripts I call it the "Columba Cluster." Saint Columba
was the great great grandson of Niall of the Nine Hostages. I'm not sure when
other genealogists independently discovered this cluster. They may have come
from the opposite direction as myself. I was actually looking for a cluster
associated with the kindred of Saint Columba. They may have looked at the
DNA and happened to notice a cluster existed. Anyway, after we genealogists
discovered it geneticists discovered it and published in a scientific journal.
St. Columba (Collumcille) was Cenel Conaill - same as the O'Donnells,
O'Dohertys, O'Gallaghers, O'Boyles, O Canannans, etc, all native to Donegal. I
know David Wilson also independently discovered this cluster - and the Trinity
DNA team wrote about it (although some say they were already familiar with
David's NW Irish cluster). All I can add is I'm glad all of you discovered this
cluster for us. It's kept me busy and interested for the last few years.
The following line from the O Clery Book of Genealogies mentions St.
Collumcille.
15. Feidlimid mac Fergusa mic Conaill da mac laisidhe .i. Columcilli et
Eogan a ossar.
I can't translate every word of this but it basically says Felim son of
Fergus son of Conall had two good sons, Columcille and Owen. Collumcille's first
cousin (I think) was Ainmirech, High King of ireland, d. 569 AD. This was
the royal line of the Cenel Conaill, continuing with more High Kings until
Flaithbertach, d. 765 A.D. The two surnames associated with this direct male
line were O Canannan and O Muldoraidh, both Kings of Tirconnell (Donegal) prior
to the rise of O'Donnell (12th century).
As recently as the early 1800s, John O'Donovan, in his Ordnance Survey
Letters and translation of the Topographical Poems, commented that the O
Muldoraidh surname was unknown in Donegal and speculated that the line had died out.
The O Canannans, howver, seemed to have survived. There are lots of Cannons
listed in the ca. 1848 Griffith's Valuations in Donegal.
O Dubhagain's Topographical Poem mentions both families
(The O'Maoildoraidhs, if they were living,
Would come (but they will not come),
Without slowness, or slow delay,
To meet us, as would the O'Canannains.
The O'Maildoraidhs appear to have been extinct in O'Dubhagain's time as well
(1372 AD).
In terms of DNA, there are so far few O'Donnell samples, and most are just
12 marker tests. There are a handful of other Cenel Conaill DNA samples, said
to split off this main line, such as O'Gallagher, O'Boyle. I think there
are some Cannon samples out there but this name had multiple origins and I'm
not sure if I've seen any tied directly to Donegal or not. The McGonagles were
a well-known Donegal family, most likely also Cenel Conaill, but they
weren't important chieftains and aren't linked in any of the genealogical
manuscripts. The most heavily tested of the Cenel Conaill families were the
O'Dohertys, with lots of DNA samples on Ysearch and in the R1b1c7 project. The
O'Dohertys have their fair share of non NW Irish members, including several with I
haplogroups and a few R1a.
The Cenel Conaill (as in Columcille's pedigree) are said to descend from
Conal, son of Nial. There is an entry in the Four Masters mentioning his death
which may be a later insertion in the Irish annals.
464 AD.
Conall Gulban, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages (from whom are descended
the Cinel Conaill), was slain by the old tribes of Magh Slecht, he having been
found unprotected, and was buried at Fidhnach Maighe Rein, by Saint Caillin,
as the Life of the aforesaid saint relates.
One would think there just might be some DNA pattern that could set the
Cenel Conaill families apart from the rest of the NW Irish. But so far all I've
seen (as David Wilson described) are a few markers unique to each family.
When it comes to the Cenel Conaill, our only real source for surnames
associated with this line are the Topographical Poems. The genealogies only list a
few of the major sub-chieftains of the O'Donnells.
THE PART OF CINEL CONAILL HERE
O'Maoldoraidh, and O'Canannain, and the Clann Dalaigh, chief kings of Cenel
Conaill; O'Baoighill, over Clann-Cennfaelaidh, and over Tir-Ainmire, and over
Tir Boghaine; O'Maoilmaghna, over Magh Sieridh, and O hAedha, over Eas
Ruaidh; O'Taircheirt, over Clann Neachtain; Mag Dubhain, over Cinel Nenna; Mag
Loing- seachain, over Gleann Binne, and O'Breslen, over Fanaid; and
O'Dochartaigh, over Ard-Miodhair; and MacGillesamhais, over Ros-Guill; O'Cearnachain and
O'Dalachain, over Tuath Bladhaigh; O'Maelagain, over Tir MacCarthainn;
O'Donnagain, over Tir Brea- sail, and Mag Gaiblin also; O'Maolgaoithe, over
Muinter-Mael- gaoithe; Mag Tighernain, over Clann Fearghaile.
Some of these surnames are difficult to find in modern anglicisations.
O'Baoighill (O'Boyle)
O'Mailmaghna (O'Mulvany?)
O hAedha (Hughes)
O'Taircheirt (Tarkert)
Mag Dubhain (Mac Duane)
Mag Loingseachain (Mag Lynchy)
O'Breslin (Breslin)
O'Dochartaigh (O'Doherty)
MacGillesamhais (MacGilljames, James, Fitzjames)
O'Cearnachain (O Kernahan)
O'Dalachain (O'Dallon)
O'Maelagain (O'Mulligan)
O'Donnagan (O'Donagan)
Mag Gaiblin (MacGiblin)
O'Maolgaoithe (O'Mulgee, Magee)
Mag Tighernain (Mac Tiernan)
The list of surnames in O'Dubhagain is much older than the time he was
writing (14th century). Note that the O'Donnells are not mentioned here; nor are
the O'Gallaghers or MacSweeneys (who replaced the O'Breslins as Lords of
Fanad c. 1300 A.D.).
A later document called the "Rights of O'Neill" adds a few other names.
O Muireadhaigh and O'Conaill from Tuath Bhladhach (O'Murray, O'Connell)
Mag Fhionnachtaigh from Ard Mheg Fhionnachtaigh
Mag Fheargail from Tir Bhreasail (MacFarrell)
In contrast, the Cenel Conaill pedigrees list only the following surnames:
O'Donnell, O'Boyle, O'Gallagher, O'Doherty, MacSweeney, Mac Gillefinen,
O'Boyle. There are partial pedigrees for the original lords of Tirconnell (O
Cannon, O Muldoraidh). It looks like the apologists for the O'Donnells did their
best to wipe their former rivals from the genealogical manuscripts by
suppressing their pedigrees.
Of course there were probably scores of other surnames genuinely descended
from the Cenel Conaill as well but no notice of them is given in historical
manuscripts. O'Donovan in his edition of the Topographical Poems lamented what
he called the great chasm in Cenel Conaill pedigrees in the Book of Lecan.
For some reason, they were simply never traced as fully as certain other
tribes.
I'm just listing all these Cenel Conaill surnames in case someone is
interested in trying to find DNA matches. You can also find a lot of surnames in
early English records of Donegal from the 17th century - some could be Cenel
Conaill; others might be Cenel Eoghain. Some are obvious implants from other
territories (O Clery, MacWard).
John
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