DNA tests prove Scots clan are Viking not Irish

[1798]

http://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2015/0...ing-not-irish/

"For centuries the MacNeils have believed they descended from Niall of the Nine Hostages through an 11th century Irish prince who emigrated to Scotland.
But the DNA project has not found a single match to Ireland.
“We can say we can re-write the history of the Clan MacNeil,” said genealogist Vincent MacNeil, from Nova Scotia, Canada.
“We don’t have one participant from Barra that matches the O’Neills of Ireland.
“If you look at the history of the Clan MacNeils we are probably of Norse descent.”
He added: “We have legends and myths that have been passed through generations.
“But mother nature knows who we are. Oral history is wonderful and often there is truth in to. But everybody’s family history is in their DNA.”

The McNeil surname is found among the R1b,R1a and I haplogroups. I don't know how they can be so sure that they are descended from Vikings.

[Janet]

Found this on facebook

I was quite shocked to find out I am a Niall of the Nine Hostages descendant according to my dna. I was not sure at all if we had any Irish until that was found out.
I am glad to see this article posted. I was going to when I saw this on facebook but I am glad someone else already reported it. Still, being of Viking descent is nothing to shake a stick at. Hope they will be just as proud of their new found heritage as I am of mine.

[1798]

I am glad to see it posted. I was going to when I saw this on facebook but I am glad someone else already reported it. Still, being of Viking descent is nothing to shake a stick at. Hope they will be just as proud of their new found heritage.

Who would be proud to be a descendant of a pirate,rapist,murderer,thief and arsonist and all at same time?

[N21163]

Who would be proud to be a descendant of a pirate,rapist,murderer,thief and arsonist and all at same time?

Descendants of Vikings would probably be proud...Vikings....ambitious....possibly...multi-tasking thugs...certainly..."ancient Hell's Angels" as someone once put.
There would be a multitude of other ancestors, who weren't vikings who fit into those categories as well.

[1798]

Descendants of Vikings would probably be proud...Vikings....ambitious....possibly...multi-tasking thugs...certainly..."ancient Hell's Angels" as someone once put.
There would be a multitude of other ancestors, who weren't vikings who fit into those categories as well.

Thank God then,that we are not our ancestors. We are different.

[Armando]

“They are of two types: The MacNeils of Barra who have an oral history linking them to the Chiefly line and most clansmen are in a group defined by the Y-DNA marker L165."

L165 is an SNP that descends from DF27. It is not Scandinavian in origin.

[AFH]

Thank God then,that we are not our ancestors. We are different.

Why so much dislike for the Vikings aren't they a part of Ireland don't the Irish carry some of their DNA?

[1798]

Why so much dislike for the Vikings aren't they a part of Ireland don't the Irish carry some of their DNA?

I don't dislike the Vikings as such. The Irish monasteries 1000 years ago were learning centers just like the universities of today. Would you think that someone who attacked a university today would be called some kind of hero? Would you not be shocked and appalled?

[AFH]

I don't dislike the Vikings as such. The Irish monasteries 1000 years ago were learning centers just like the universities of today. Would you think that someone who attacked a university today would be called some kind of hero? Would you not be shocked and appalled?

I understand the history they did the same in Northern Portugal they were known as Normans some even settled in the area. All I'm saying is I know the history is ugly but had it been different I wouldn't be here today I keep that in mind. I understand you have a different perspective.

[MoberlyDrake]

I have no Viking ancestry that I know of, but I do know they were top-rate sailors, boat-builders, and had a beautiful artistry of their own. And they didn't always pillage. They had a far-flung trading network.

[GregR1]

http://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2015/0...ing-not-irish/

"For centuries the MacNeils have believed they descended from Niall of the Nine Hostages through an 11th century Irish prince who emigrated to Scotland.
But the DNA project has not found a single match to Ireland.
“We can say we can re-write the history of the Clan MacNeil,” said genealogist Vincent MacNeil, from Nova Scotia, Canada.
“We don’t have one participant from Barra that matches the O’Neills of Ireland.
“If you look at the history of the Clan MacNeils we are probably of Norse descent.”
He added: “We have legends and myths that have been passed through generations.
“But mother nature knows who we are. Oral history is wonderful and often there is truth in to. But everybody’s family history is in their DNA.”

The McNeil surname is found among the R1b,R1a and I haplogroups. I don't know how they can be so sure that they are descended from Vikings.

That's all very interesting. Black's Surnames of Scotland, pp; 550 MacNeil:

The Norsemen early adopted the name, and it appears among them as Njal. It appears to sometime have been Englished into Nielson.

Both Cairney and Wolfe ascribe the name to Fiachra; "brother of Nial of the Nine Hostages", ancestor of the UiNiel dating to the second half of the fifth century. A "brother" however does not have to be of blood and having said that, it seems that Black was hinting in the right direction all along eh?

[1798]

That's all very interesting. Black's Surnames of Scotland, pp; 550 MacNeil:

Both Cairney and Wolfe ascribe the name to Fiachra; "brother of Nial of the Nine Hostages", ancestor of the UiNiel dating to the second half of the fifth century. A "brother" however does not have to be of blood and having said that, it seems that Black was hinting in the right direction all along eh?

What the R1a group needs is proof of when the first R1a males arrived in Scotland. So how is that going to be determined?

[N21163]

I don't dislike the Vikings as such. The Irish monasteries 1000 years ago were learning centers just like the universities of today. Would you think that someone who attacked a university today would be called some kind of hero? Would you not be shocked and appalled?

Monasteries were monasteries, not universities.
You are also taking historical actions out of context. Groups of "vikings" who raided the British Isles and Ireland, were met with resistance from armies in numerous areas. In other areas where there was no army i.e. only a monastery, they still raided as the monastery meant nothing to them.
No one is making them out as heroes for attacking monasteries...but there is more to their history than that.

I have no Viking ancestry that I know of, but I do know they were top-rate sailors, boat-builders, and had a beautiful artistry of their own. And they didn't always pillage. They had a far-flung trading network.

Indeed. I'm sure most cultures/peoples in history have a dark side...but there is a lot more to them than that.

[dtvmcdonald]

What the R1a group needs is proof of when the first R1a males arrived in Scotland. So how is that going to be determined?

There are enough BigYs now to say that determining that
from DNA will require a very major miracle. The R1a's
in question are YP276+, and probably L176.1+. The problem is that there are several SNPs that are so far synonymous to
L176.1: YP274, YP275, YP277, YP278, YP279, YP281. That's
a rather large time span, in the very rough 800 year region.
It determines the minimum possible error.

There were likely several entries for L176.1 people.
The key timing point is YP326, about AD 1250 -20 +50. There
are 4 SNPS between the L176.1 group and YP326.

[N21163]

There are enough BigYs now to say that determining that
from DNA will require a very major miracle. The R1a's
in question are YP276+, and probably L176.1+. The problem is that there are several SNPs that are so far synonymous to
L176.1: YP274, YP275, YP277, YP278, YP279, YP281. That's
a rather large time span, in the very rough 800 year region.
It determines the minimum possible error.

There were likely several entries for L176.1 people.
The key timing point is YP326, about AD 1250 -20 +50. There
are 4 SNPS between the L176.1 group and YP326.

Thank you Dr McDonald