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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