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Solving a 200 year Irish mystery
My family originates from a small townland, Rath, in Co. Limerick, where an O'Brien family have lived since the 1820's. While the land is still in the family, sadly no male O'Brien's still remain in Ireland, all are now living in Australia.
In the neighbouring Townland, Rathwood, there was another O'Brien family, who conitue to live in the general area, though many of the descendants are now located in the USA.
Despite family stories and local verbal history, paper records do not show how these two families were connected. Some believed that the originator in Rath was either a brother or cousin to the family of Rathwood.
Recently an O'Brien descendant from Rathwood, living in the US, completed the Ydna markers to 37; it was then realised that they matched 100% with Ydna markers from one of the Australian descendants, myself, from the Rath family.
As no paper record links them within five generations, it would seem to confirm the family stories that both O'Brien families were related one or two generations earlier then current records show.
Since then both have been compared at 67 markers and are still a 100% match.
Thus FTDNA project proved what no other record could have proved, solving a family mystery and adding a lot to the combined knowledge of all descendants.
In the neighbouring Townland, Rathwood, there was another O'Brien family, who conitue to live in the general area, though many of the descendants are now located in the USA.
Despite family stories and local verbal history, paper records do not show how these two families were connected. Some believed that the originator in Rath was either a brother or cousin to the family of Rathwood.
Recently an O'Brien descendant from Rathwood, living in the US, completed the Ydna markers to 37; it was then realised that they matched 100% with Ydna markers from one of the Australian descendants, myself, from the Rath family.
As no paper record links them within five generations, it would seem to confirm the family stories that both O'Brien families were related one or two generations earlier then current records show.
Since then both have been compared at 67 markers and are still a 100% match.
Thus FTDNA project proved what no other record could have proved, solving a family mystery and adding a lot to the combined knowledge of all descendants.
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