Tackling Sequential Brick Walls in Your Irish Family Tree

Maurice Gleeson
[email protected]

Strategic Approach to Irish Records

Strategic Approach to Irish Genealogy - Tracing Your Irish Ancestors … 27,000 word magazine
supplement (by Maurice Gleeson) … https://your-genealogy-history-store-usa.myshopify.com/

Civil Registration Records …

- Marriages 1845+ (Church of Ireland), 1864+ (all others)
- Births 1864 onwards
- Deaths 1864 onwards
1) Introduction to the records …
https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Ireland_Civil_Registration
2) Free online records (indexes and original images) via …
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/civil-search.jsp

Church Records …
1) Introduction to Irish Church Records …
https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Ireland_Church_Records
2) RootsIreland (all counties except Dublin city & Cork city) … https://www.rootsireland.ie
3) IrishGenealogy (Dublin City, Kerry, SE Cork) …
https://churchrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/
4) Irish Catholic Parish Registers at NLI (National Library of Ireland) …
https://registers.nli.ie
5) FindMyPast has indexes to the Irish Catholic Parish Registers at NLI …
https://search.findmypast.ie/search-world-Records/ireland-roman-catholic-parish-
baptisms (helpful for Cork City parishes)

Irish Naming Convention – the standard approach in most areas of the country is described
below. If it works on one side of the family, then it is probably true for the other side too …
- 1st son named after father’s father
- 2nd son after mother’s father
- 3rd son after father
- 4th son after father’s eldest brother
- 5th son after mother’s eldest brother

Exceptions and variations to the standard approach to Irish Naming Convention are discussed in
this review article by Ireland Reaching Out (IXO) …
https://irelandxo.com/ireland-xo/news/irelandxo-insight-irish-naming-and-baptism-traditions

How to pronounce Irish words …

1) https://forvo.com/login/

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 2) https://www.abair.tcd.ie/en/ (uses 3 different dialects)

Translate Irish words into English (and vice versa) … http://translate.google.com

DNA – General Links

The 3 Types of DNA test … https://youtu.be/5-POfIhu2Qg

Current database size ... www.theDNAgeek.com/dna-tests

Current autosomal DNA database size ... www.theDNAgeek.com/dna-tests

How to transfer your atDNA to other companies ...

1) https://dna-explained.com/2019/11/04/dna-file-upload- download-and-transfer-
instructions-to-and-from-dna-testing-companies/
2) https://thednageek.com/how-to-transfer-your-ancestrydna-test-to-other-databases/

Autosomal DNA Tools & Methodologies

Autosomal DNA Tools ... https://isogg.org/wiki/Autosomal_DNA_tools

DNAPainter website (by Jonny Perl) ... https://dnapainter.com

Shared cM Project tool ...

1) The tool itself … https://dnapainter.com/tools/sharedcmv4
2) Introduction to the tool … https://dnapainter.com/blog/introducing-the-updated-shared-
cm-tool/

Shared cM Project ... https://thegeneticgenealogist.com/2020/03/27/version-4-0-march-2020-

update-to-the-shared-cm-project/

Targeting a Specific Ancestor using Triangulation & Triangulated Segments …

1) Review article (Diahan Southard) …
https://www.familytreemagazine.com/premium/triple-play-dna-matches-triangulation/#
2) Triangulated Groups using Gedmatch (video by Andy Lee) …
https://youtu.be/ceYGv6RNfDE

Targeting a Specific Ancestor using Clusters of Shared Matches …

1. via the Genetic Affairs website (for Ancestry, 23andMe, FTDNA)
https://www.geneticaffairs.com/features-autocluster.html ... plus a useful blog post about it
here … https://dna-explained.com/2018/12/04/autoclustering-by-genetic-affairs/
2. via MyHeritage … https://blog.myheritage.com/2019/02/introducing-autoclusters-for-dna-
matches/

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3. Via Gedmatch … https://www.gedmatch.com/ClusterBasic1.php ... and a useful explanatory
video at https://youtu.be/lTboZ5q10Nk

Various video tutorial’s on autoclustering …

1) MyHeritage’s tool … https://youtu.be/vmZzxMy8U3w
2) Genetic Affairs’ tool (by Blaine Bettinger) … https://youtu.be/fYRCK8ogW1k
3) Gedmatch’s tool (by Andy Lee) … https://youtu.be/lTboZ5q10Nk

Leeds-Collins Method of clustering … https://genetic.family/Help/CLM

DNA2Tree review … https://blog.kittycooper.com/2019/04/dna2tree-build-trees-from-dna-

matches

WATO tool (What are the Odds) helps place unknown relatives within a known family tree ...
1) The tool itself … https://dnapainter.com/tools/probability
2) FAQs … https://dnapainter.com/help/wato-faq
3) Useful “how to” video … https://youtu.be/pFHLBBZbCWc

Chromosome Mapping ...

1) How to use the Chromosome Mapper on DNAPainter …
https://dnapainter.com/help/why#pstart
2) Introductory video to Chromosome Mapping … https://youtu.be/wyjcJxywTZI

Cluster Auto Painter tool from DNAPainter website …

 https://dnapainter.com/tools/cap
 https://blog.dnapainter.com/blog/cluster-auto-painter-unravel-your-dna-test-results/

23andMe’s “Family Tree” predicts how you might be connected to your genetic relatives …
https://blog.23andme.com/ancestry-reports/23andmes-latest-feature-automates-genetic-family-
trees/

Maurice Gleeson’s Adoptee Spreadsheet template helps you triangulate on a common ancestor
by combining DNA & genealogical data from different websites on a single page …
https://www.dropbox.com/s/51bo22zb77yltcp/Adoptee%20worksheet%20template.xlsx?dl=0

McGuire Chart – a useful visual representation of an atDNA matrix relative to a family tree …
https://thegeneticgenealogist.com/2017/03/19/guest-post-the-mcguire-method-simplified-visual-
dna-comparisons/

Triangulation & Triangulated Segments

 Gedmatch Triangulation tool & Segment Search … www.GEDmatch.com
 Videos on Triangulated Segments
o Andy Lee: How to Triangulate Your DNA Matches Using GEDmatch …
https://youtu.be/ceYGv6RNfDE
o Andy Lee: What is a DNA Triangulation with a Crossmatch on GEDmatch? ...
https://youtu.be/wq10brEELjI

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 o Andy Lee: AncestryDNA: What is DNA Triangulation Using Shared Matches? …
https://youtu.be/ffJ_k34eIEE
o Michelle Leonard: Using Chromosome Browsers Segment Data and Triangulation
… https://familytreewebinars.com/download.php?webinar_id=1276

Pile-up regions & Excess IBD regions

 ISOGG wiki on IBD segments … https://isogg.org/wiki/Identical_by_descent
 Locations for pile-ups … https://cruwys.blogspot.com/2018/01/small-segments-and-pile-
ups.html
 Blaine Bettinger: A Small segment round up …
https://thegeneticgenealogist.com/2017/12/29/a-small-segment-round-up/

Tools from the DNAadoption team ...

1) DNA Adoption website … www.DNAadoption.com
2) Autosomal DNA Segment Analyser (ADSA) … https://dnagedcom.com/adsa/Index.php
3) http://blog.kittycooper.com/2014/01/organizing-your-autosomal-dna-information-with-a-
spreadsheet/
4) Genetic Family website … https://genetic.family

Ancestor Reconstruction (to help access your more distant matches) ...
1) Lazarus tool on www.GEDmatch.com
2) Borland Genetics suite of tools for ancestor reconstruction … https://borlandgenetics.com
3) Review of the methodology by Martin McDowell … https://youtu.be/C8REqT7DDP0

Phasing tool on Gedmatch ... www.GEDmatch.com (Tier 1)

Phasing - Whit Athey method ... http://www.jogg.info/62/files/Athey.pdf

Visual Phasing ... https://thegeneticgenealogist.com/2016/11/21/visual-phasing-an-example-part-

1-of-5/

GenomeMate Pro ... https://www.genomemate.org and https://www.getgmp.com and

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6sIwMlqMYo

Legacies of British Slave-ownership website details amounts of compensation given to

slaveowners for the loss of their slaves … https://www.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/person/view/22395

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Y-DNA & Irish Surnames
FTDNA Y-DNA database size ... https://www.familytreedna.com/why-ftdna

STR vs SNP markers … https://dna-explained.com/2014/02/10/strs-vs-snps-multiple-dna-

personalities/

Y-DNA tests available from FTDNA … https://www.familytreedna.com/products/y-dna

Human Migrations into Europe …

https://www.eupedia.com/europe/origins_haplogroups_europe.shtml

Recent advances in Y-Haplotree research … https://blog.familytreedna.com/human-y-

chromosome-testing-milestones/

Ireland’s History in Maps (by Dennis Walsh) … http://sites.rootsweb.com/~irlkik/ihm/

When did surnames start in Ireland? …

https://dnaandfamilytreeresearch.blogspot.com/2020/04/when-were-surnames-introduced-to-
ireland.html

History & Classification of Surnames … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surname

List of Irish DNA Projects … https://isogg.org/wiki/ISOGG_Ireland#Irish_DNA_Projects

Irish Clan Research – going back beyond surnames and exploring the triangular interplay
between surnames, geography & DNA …
https://dnaandfamilytreeresearch.blogspot.com/2020/04/toward-methodology-for-confirming-
dna.html

Woulfe’s Surname Dictionary (Irish Names & Surnames) …

https://www.libraryireland.com/names/contents.php

O Hart’s Irish Pedigrees online (or The Origin and Stem of the Irish Nation) …
https://www.libraryireland.com/Pedigrees1/index.php

Bart Jaski’s genealogical tables of ancient Irish Clans …

https://www.academia.edu/4144299/Genealogical_tables_of_medieval_Irish_royal_dynasties

Irish Clans …
1) Introduction to Irish Clans … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_clans#cite_ref-7
2) List of Irish clans … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Irish_clans
3) List of ancient Irish genealogies & annals … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_annals

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The DNA signature of the Dal gCais …
 Wright, Dennis (2009) - http://jogg.info/pages/51/files/Wright.pdf
 The Battle of Clontarf … https://dh.tcd.ie/clontarf/the_battle
 Methodological considerations for establishing the DNA signature of an Irish Clan …
https://dnaandfamilytreeresearch.blogspot.com/2020/04/toward-methodology-for-
confirming-dna.html
 O’Brian Clan website … http://www.obrienclansociety.com/conorf.htm
 Sir Conor’s 30-generation pedigree … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conor_O
%27Brien,_18th_Baron_Inchiquin

Surname Distribution Maps (Ireland) …

1) John Grenham … https://www.johngrenham.com
2) Shane Wilson … https://www.swilson.info/sdist.php
3) Forebears … https://forebears.io/surnames
4) Worldnames Public Profiler … http://worldnames.publicprofiler.org/Main.aspx

Recent advances in Ancient Irish genetics …

1) Genetic analysis of 4 ancient Irish skeletons (Rathlin Island & Ballynahatty) …
http://www.obrienclansociety.com/conorf.htm
2) The identification of Thomas Kent … https://youtu.be/SOLkkRigY1U
3) Lara Cassidy’s thesis (2017) …  A Genomic Compendium of an Island. Lara M. Cassidy,
PhD thesis, Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin. (2017)
at http://www.tara.tcd.ie/handle/2262/82960
4) A dynastic elite in monumental Neolithic society. Cassidy, L.M., Maoldúin, R.Ó., Kador,
T. et al. Nature 582, 384–388 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2378-6
5) List of publications relevant to Ancient Irish Genetic research …
https://isogg.org/wiki/ISOGG_Ireland#Academic_publications_relevant_to_Irish_genetic
_genealogy

Maurice Gleeson’s Blog – DNA and Family Tree Research ...

https://dnaandfamilytreeresearch.blogspot.com

Maurice Gleeson’s YouTube Channel ...

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcPhbETNSaXAb0I_yMGqHYg/videos

Genetic Genealogy Ireland website … https://ggi2013.blogspot.com

Genetic Genealogy Ireland YouTube Channel …

https://www.youtube.com/c/GeneticGenealogyIreland

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