DNA-R1B1C7-L Archives
Archiver > DNA-R1B1C7 > 2008-01 > 1201743180
From:
Subject: Re: [DNA-R1B1C7] Southern Ui Neill DNA
Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 20:33:00 EST
In a message dated 1/30/2008 8:21:51 A.M. Central Standard Time,
writes:
John,
I'm not sure what you mean by Southern Ui Neill but I have noticed a
singular Driscoll, a name associated with south cork, on SMGF who
appears to be R1b1c7. See:
http://tinyurl.com/2fz98n
Cheers,
Colin Ferguson
The O'Driscolls are one of the clans in Ireland given an Erainn or Belgae
pedigree (per O'Rahilly). But finding a stray R1b1c7 among Irish clans that
shouldn't be is a fairly common occurrence. I was surprised myself to find a
few among the McCarthys and O'Sullivans in the south and possibly some
Maguinness in the NE in the Trinity database. The distribution map of R1b1c7 in the
Trinity study (A Y-Chromosome Signature of Hegemony in Gaelic Ireland) seems
to show a light band of R1b1c7 running down the west coast of Ireland into
Cork. In the midlands, where we would expect to find southern Ui Neill DNA
the gradient used is the same. For the most part though R1b1c7 is almost
entirely absent from the gradients in northern Leinster.
The distinction made between southern and northern Ui Neill is
geographical. The northern Ui Neill were mainly in the NW (Donegal, L'Derry, Tyrone).
The southern Ui Neill were mainly in the midlands (Meath, Bregia, Tethbha).
Byrne (Irish Kings and High Kings) doesn't believe at least one tribe of the
southern Ui Neill were really Ui Neill.
"AS for the Cenel Maine maic Neill, our two earliest genealogical
manuscripts (both of which are from the twelfth century) differ irreconcilably as to
the pedigree of that Aed mac Brenainn who granted Burrow to Colum Cille. We
may suspect then that eastern Maine was so successfully absorbed into the Ui
Neill ambit that their kings, by a politic fiction, were accepted into the
dominant dynastic circle. The parting of the ways between Connachta and Ui Neill
then led to the total separation of the Ui Maine and Cenel Maine."
Other historians have also commented on the murky aspects of southern Ui
Neill history.
"However, the genealogical picture, as will be discussed below, is far from
clear. It has been recognized that the origins of Clann Cholmain and its
paralell dynasty of Sil nAedo Slaine are shrouded in obscurity; indeed the
colourful image evoked by Professor Kelleher applies no less to Clan Cholmain than
to the Ui Neill dynasties collectively; that they emerged into history 'like
a school of cuttle-fish from an ink-cloud of their own making'."
Ailbhe Mac Shamhrain
Seanchas, Studies in Early and Medieval Irish Archeology,
History and Literature in Honour of Francis J. Byrne.
The Clann Cholman and Sil nAedo Slaine were the two main dynasties of the
southern Ui Neill.
One possible explanation might be the Norman invasion. This part of Ireland
was heavily settled by Normans and many of the old native chieftains lost
their territories. Some survived into later historical times (O'Melaghlins,
MacGeoghegans); others are never heard from again.
John
**************Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape.
http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489
This thread: