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ARE YOU TYPICALLY Irish? A new project has been unveiled by the Genealogical Society of Ireland and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, who are working together to find out more about the Irish population.
The two have launched an all-Ireland project to create a collection of DNA samples from individuals of Irish origin, which will be used to explore human genetic variation in the Irish population.
There are two strands to the project – one on genealogy and one on genetics.
Director of Archival Services, Séamus O’Reilly FGSI will coordinate the collection of genalogical data, while Dr Gianpiero Cavalleri of the RCSI will direct all the scientific aspects.
Dr Cavalleri, a senior scientist of the Royal College of Surgeons, has worked as scientific consultant on the TV programmes The Blood of the Irish and The Blood of the Travellers.
The joint project will compile an Irish DNA Atlas through the collection of birth briefs and DNA samples “to investigate the diversity of the Irish genome”, which the organisations describe as “a valuable, yet largely unexplored, resource of the Irish nation”.
They say this project “will provide valuable information on the migration and settlement patterns across the island of Ireland which will assist historians and archaeologists”.
It could also identify genetic risk factors for disease which in turn could improve future medical treatments.
The project aims to recruit individuals representing each of the 32 counties of Ireland, who will be given a saliva collection kit, a brief questionnaire as well as a chart on their pedigree.
All of their eight great-grandparents should come from the same general area so that their DNA represents that particular region of Ireland.
Participants, who are not paid for taking part, will not receive any results from the study – unless something is uncovered that might be of importance to their health.
To find out more, you are invited to email Irish.DNA@familyhistory.ie
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I was going to contribute but the fact that you don’t even get results makes me think why bother..?
.. because we don’t always have to personally profit out of everything that we do?
… because sometimes people decide not to act out of self-interest? for reasons like the greater good, and the advancement of scientific knowledge?
How narrow minded of you Ciaran…
This should be very interesting, looking forward to seeing the results. DNA analysis often turns up surprising facts.
I wonder are there actually many people with 8 great grand parents all from the same country
Lots, I’d imagine. Me for one.
Hmmm.. What a convenient way to get the population to willingly submit their DNA to a database..
My thoughts exactly…
There were very few ‘recent’ newcomers in Ireland in our great great grandparents’ time,and up until very recently.(The traffic was outwards).Therefore the vast bulk of the present Irish will have 8 Irish born great great graparents.
A similar study in Iceland a few years ago showed that about half the female population of Iceland comes from Ireland.(The males are Scandinavian.)
So the Vikings really did carry off Irishwomen.
Good taste in women!
They must have bought them a drink , unlike us ;)
This kind of study might not be so possible with the same ease in the future so its important for it to happen now.
sounds pretty cool to me.
DNA database doesn’t bother me, they can do what they want with my stuff.
Exactly. The people tested might have nothing to hide, but their brothers or sisters might!
If you have any thing to HIDE, then DO NOT contribute. I did contribute, as few years ago, as they were doing some special female study. Mine did not turn out to be what they wanted. Later was approached, by another DNA gene site, that was told they had my results, and for a small fee, to get my results. Now have found a couple other related lines, NOT my surname, but back before time and in my mother’s ancestor country. On a whim, previously about 6 years now, did a DNA test on my brother, same thing, he was very reluctant, as was all his male contemporaries. But he finally came round. Now have found 6 other males of our surname, present day that match. So if at first you don’t, later you may regret it. You may not have as good a result as I have had so far, but then. . . . . . . . . . . . .Genealogy is just that, a constant search for family beginnings. And also if you are fortunate enough, you too may be related to the William “Bill” GATES of the world.
i had my dna tested recently, by the sorrensen molecular geneaology foundation.
i have traced my family tree back to 1825.
at time there was only 1 billion people on the earth.
if you multiply your ancestral line by 2+4+8+16+32+64+128,
it shows that whole human family is related.
if we could go back 30 generations there was only 500.000 people on the earth
have your say