McManus Y-DNA archive · Historical research preserved from mexlist.com. Results and contact details reflect the original publication.

McManus YDNA Project

Group One Analysis

In the results table, the closest results, together with number of markers tested, are set out in descending order. A notable development has been the establishment of mismatches, in varying degrees of 1-4 between Ulster McManuses and Maguires. A sample of Maguires are presented here, but there are 19 participants in the Maguire study and most have done a 25 or more marker test.  The cumulative results were, at most, a genetic distance of three markers off (on the 25) with the McManus participants.  Of these, a genetic distance of one or two, which broke down into two groups. This is clear evidence of the McManus-Maguire connection. The example here of a long pedigree back to the Maguire's of Fermanagh, and the closeness of the DNA profiles, is worthy also of academic note in relation to the alleged cumulative effects of non-paternity: the several close matches of related participants, together with the time factor, appears to fly in the face of the accepted wisdom and statistics on non-paternity.

An interesting example of evidential variance between origins of recent ancestor and a deeper geographical origin shown by genetic profile, can be given in the case of 5ARYC. He has a pedigree showing his family originated from the area of Ballintubber, County Roscommon, Ireland. His great grandfather was Patrick McManus born 10 March 1836, died 28 October 1911, Boone, Iowa, USA. He was christened Patrick on 17 March 1836 at Ballintubber.  He may have been born at Cloonykerny, and was certainly a native of the Parish of Elphin, County Roscommon, in Connaught in the west of Ireland.  The Catholic Church records state that he was the son of the elder Patrick McManus and his wife, Mary Lynch McManus.  Mary McManus was living at Cloonykerny late in life, a widow, so it is possible that her son Patrick was born there in 1836. Although the pedigree has been established through careful documentary research as far back as 1815 in County Roscommon, it is surprising to discover that the YDNA result identifies this participant as sharing a common attribute with the Fermanagh group as opposed to the Roscommon group.  The strongest match relates to two Maguire participants for which 5ARYC has a genetic distance of 2 out of 32 markers. This is followed by a match with a total of three other Maguire and McManus participants of a genetic distance of 2 out of 25 markers. When it comes to accounting for the variance in geographical location between the documentary evidence and the genetic profile, there is no clear explanation which can be given at this time, although there are at least two expressions of opinion, based on incomplete evidence, which may be put forward. The first relates to the possibility of an erroneous documentary trail. The second, and perhaps more feasible explanation in this case, concerns extensive local migration from Fermanagh into Connaught from the late 17th. century onwards. The greatest exodus from south Ulster occurred around the time of the Battle of the Diamond, 21st. September, 1795, when large numbers of Catholics fled south to escape religious persecution by Protestant oppressors. We learn, accordingly, from Nollaig O'Muraile (1998), that prior to about 1700 we can calculate with some certainty that the name McManus, present in Fermanagh or Roscommon, was indigenous to those counties. Thereafter, however, the surname-location picture becomes more blurred, as many of the Ulster McManus', are likely to have settled into Connaught communities. Amongst other examples which could be brought, it is known today that an extended McManus family from Althone, south Roscommon, were in fact originally immigrants from Fermanagh. Reference: O'Muraile, N. (1998) 'Cathal Og MacMaghnusa: His Time, Life and Legacy', Clogher Record, Vol.XV1 (2) pp. 45-64.

In respect of the surname Mathews within this group, an interesting comparison has been made. I quote from the McMahon DNA Project web pages:

T Mathews is supposed to be a Monaghan MacMahon from Dartrey but he differs from P McMahon by 3 markers (#s: 390, 385b, and 439) of his first 12 and 7 markers overall.  It would appear that they are unrelated.  Interestingly, T Mathews is a closer match to the McManus clan of Fermanagh, matching two McManus individuals exactly (results not posted above).  Both McMahon and McManus are said to descend from the Collas but dna tests do not support this assertion.  Note the 11, 14, 12 markers in 385 a, b and 426.  T Mathews is also the only one of the group that has a 25 in marker 390.  These markers all match the McManus clan (not illustrated).  Phil McManus has advised us: "In the Maguire lineage (descendants), there is a MacMahon sept which derive from Mahon, grandson of Donn Carrach (not Don Mor) Maguire.  We McManuses share the same Maguire derivation."  This means that there may well be (or is) a second McMahon sept in Airghialla, of Fermanagh origin and not descended through the line of Niall Mac Mathghamhna.  I would suggest to you that in T Mathews you are looking at a set of markers that has evolved from ancient Airghialla.  Of course we are working off of very few samples here and many more would be needed to conduct a proper evaluation. http://www.mcmahonsofmonaghan.org/mcmahon_dna_project.html

Mathews, therefore, is closer to the McManuses of Fermanagh than he is to his claimed group, the McMahon's (the name Mathews is claimed to be a variant of McMahon in County Monaghan). This, therefore, would appear to support evidence from the ancient annals of one more variant surname, emanating from the Maguire pedigrees. Alternatively, other considerations found in 'circumspection' must also be considered. 

6ZZ2H claims a documented pedigree to the twelfth century. There is no evidence of authenticity available here to show any pedigrees are registered with the Genealogical Office of Ireland but we believe that several Maguire pedigrees are so registered. It is to be noted that the participants here have no connection with claims to Chiefship of the Maguire Clan.

On YSearch, VZWSZ and XH6FJ, both claim family origins in Fermanagh. VZWSZ claims a royal pedigree back to 1400. XH6FJ claims a pedigree to 1756 in the USA. No documentary evidence can be shown here to authenticate these pedigrees. There is an obvious close relationship between these two.

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